The near death of tracked wehicles

[Peter Wiking]

A bit of topic, but wanted to share the complete madness.

One year ago here in Norway (hold on tight guys), the Defence Minister desided to scrap 1200 brand new tracked wehicles. Let me say that again, scrap 1200 brand new tracked wehicles. The wehicles are based on the famous Swedish Hæglund wehicle, used by Sweden, Canada, Norway, Great Britain...

These wehicles where from the 80´s and NEVER used, some still had the protecting seat covers from the factory. TV stations here got to the scrap yard where they where going to destroy these wehicles, and the man in charge of the scrap yard nearly cryed. He showed how he/they where forced to lift it up some 6 or 8 meters, then to drop it to the ground. This would break the shafts and bearings. After a few days it is placed in a press that flattens it.
Aid organisations, rescue teams, collectors, farmers and people got angry as hell over this and asked the Defence Minister if she had lost her head? Why not give them away for free?

After some hard pressure on the Defence Minister, the destruction stoped and 800 wehicles out of some 1200 where saved. The Defence Minister now understand that it is wrong to destroy good wehicles in mint condition The TV stations asked her if she reads the papers she signs and she had no good answer.
Anyway, the destruction is stoped and they can now be bought.

I hope you are able to read my English.
Peter Wiking

[Theodor]

This only proves that the military are equally stupid allover the world. This is a story repeating allover the world ever since motor vehicles entered the armies. This is one side of their idiotism - destroying new vehicles. The other "peak" is destroying old historical equipment... Unfortunately not the first and not the last episode of these series, fortuynately he end was quite happy!

[DonC]

Apparently, Mme. Defense Minister has no nose for economics. I am sure they could have sold them to some third rate banana republic and recovered some of their loss. I'd like to see any articles or photos of this event!

Don

[Peter Wiking]

It was on TV here in Norway, with heartbreaking camera shots on the wehicles being destroyed. Once proud, state of the art wehicles, where resting on their bellys (after being dropped). With broken shafts and bearings they waited for the metal press to flatten them out. All this while the scrapyard owner where near crying.

It was only after hard pressure from the public and news stations that the madness stoped. 800 wehicles survived and are now being sold.

While i´m on it.
Several thousands of AG3 assult rifles and a big load of tanks are now waiting for being destroyed in a new "clean out" wave here in Norway.

Peter Wiking

[DonC]

Sverige über Alles!

Better watch out, Peter - the Swedes will be spoiling for a fight now!!!

Don

[Peter Wiking]

Thanks for the warning, DonC.

Peter Wiking