The initial batch of Mastiff 2 armoured vehicles for use by the British armed forces in Afghanistan have now been delivered and are being used operationally, the MoD announced on June 10th 2009. The same is true of the new Ridgbacks and, in total, 300 new armoured vehicles have now been put into operational service in the Middle East. The effect for British military personnel serving in Afghanistan is that their battlefield capability has been significantly augmented.

Updates have been carried out on the British military's Mastiffs and Ridgbacks to optimise their capabilities. These include:

• The introduction of new seats to the vehicles, which are designed to better cushion the impact of a roadside bomb or similar IED (Improvised Explosive Device)
• Improvements made to the vehicles' armour
• Improvements made to the vehicles' suspension, in line with the rough Afghan terrain
• The expansion of the vehicles' interiors, meaning more crew can be accommodated
• Improvements to the vehicles' thermal imaging capabilities

Deployment to Afghanistan

Commenting on the Mastiff 2 and the Ridgback's deployment to Afghanistan, Quentin Davis, British Minister Defence Equipment and Support, commented;

"The Mastiff is already giving troops a battle-winning edge in Afghanistan and Mastiff 2 is even better as we have improved the vehicle in line with comments from personnel on the front line."

He added: "Ridgback will supplement the excellent work currently carried out by its bigger brother Mastiff and offer our forces first-rate protection with greater manoeuvrability and easier access to urban areas."

The Mastiff 2 and Ridgback's legacies lie in the American Cougar design, which is produced by Force Protection. Conversion to UK standards was performed by the British firm NP Aerospace.

Battlefield Capabilities

Both designs have significant battlefield capabilities. The Mastiff 2 is capable of reaching speeds of up to 90 kilometres per hour while the Ridgback, around 64 kph. Among the weapons that can be fitted to the two vehicles are:

• An (automatic) 40 millimetre grenade launcher
• A 7.62 millimetre machine gun
• A 12.7 millimetre heavy duty machine gun

Training for British military personnel being converted to the Mastiff 2 and Ridgback has been taking place at the UK Defence School of Transport - Europe's largest such facility.

Please click on the indicated link to view Armed Forces International's in-depth Mastiff 2 armoured vehicle profile.