CONTROVERSIAL 'Snatch' Land Rovers face being taken out of commission following the death of four soldiers in Afghanistan.
Defence chiefs have ordered a review of the vehicles, which were designed for use in Afghanistan.
They will decide whether they should be removed from service and replaced by vehicles better equipped for the threats of landmines and other explosiv
es.
More than 30 officers have been killed while patrolling in Snatches in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2003.
Cpl Sarah Bryant, the first female soldier to die in Helmand, and three other soldiers lost their lives when their Land Rover was destroyed by a landmine two weeks ago.
Details of the review were unveiled after another British soldier died in Afghanistan. A member of the Air Assault Regiment Royal Logistic Corps, he was killed when a vehicle, believed to be an open top Land Rover, rolled over in central Helmand on Friday.
The pressure on the military built when Tory MP Patrick Mercer described Snatches as "death traps" during a debate in the House of Commons.
Des Browne, the Defence Secretary, then ordered the review during a meeting with senior army officials in London on Wednesday.
He has been backed by Air Chief Marshall Sir Jock Stirrup, the chief of defence staff, Lieutenant General Andrew Figgures, deputy chief of defence staff, and Lieutenant General Nick Houghton, the chief of joint operations, who all agreed that the vehicles suitability should be reassessed.
Military leaders in Afghanistan will be asked if they still need a light patrol vehicle and, if so, if the Snatch is suitable for the role. If not, the military will attempt to find another vehicle, but the process could take several months.
Approximately 100 Snatches are currently used in the country and they are preferred in quieter areas because they appear less aggressive than heavily armoured troop carriers.
Brigadier Mark Carleton-Smith, the commander of British forces in Helmand, said last week the Snatch Land Rovers were not safe for use in high risk areas.
He was quoted as saying: "It's not a vehicle of last resort but it's clearly not a vehicle of first choice."
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said they were already reducing the use of the Snatch in patrols.
The full article contains 379 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
