Devlin
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A story from everyones favorite author "slight sarcasim here" 
Fuel change renders military‘s fleet of light trucks obsolete
Trucks run on diesel while other nations‘ fleets require kerosene-based fuel
a journalist
CanWest News Service
Monday, January 26, 2004
The military‘s $278-million fleet of light trucks is all but useless for overseas missions because the diesel they run on isn‘t readily available and Canada‘s allies are switching to a different type of fuel to operate in their vehicles.
The problems centre on the Canadian Forces Light Support Vehicle Wheeled or LSVW which runs on diesel. But over the years NATO nations have switched to a kerosene-based fuel called JP-8 which can be used in both aircraft and vehicles. That has left the 2,800 Canadian-made trucks high and dry on overseas missions where diesel would not readily be available from allied military depots or too costly to transport from Canada in large quantities.
"The Army cannot rely on this vehicle for operations outside of Canada," warns a blunt assessment of the LSVW‘s deficiencies produced last year by the military.
Colonel Bob Gunn, who oversees the army‘s equipment needs, said the switch over to JP-8 has all but sidelined the LSVW for overseas missions. "We can‘t take them into an operational theatre," Gunn acknowledged.
"It‘s a diesel truck. You go on a NATO operation and they‘re running JP-8."
The army decided against using significant numbers of LSVWs in Afghanistan for that reason. Gunn said the military has redesigned a few of the trucks to run on JP-8 and may be using those in Afghanistan. But overall the conversion program was found to be too costly since engines and other key components had to be replaced, he noted.
JP-8 is considered by NATO as providing better mileage and being safer and easier to handle. The fuel also provides excellent performance in extreme cold weather.
The decision to phase out gasoline and diesel and replace them with JP-8 over a 22-year period was supported by NATO and the U.S. defence department in 1988, according to American military documents. Canadian military officials, however, say that NATO didn‘t make the formal decision until last year.
Switching to one fuel for all allied armies is seen as a key move in simplifying the supply system for troops in the field.
The problem with the LSVW, delivered to the army starting in 1994 by Western Star of Kelowna, B.C., is the latest in a series of issues dogging that truck fleet. Critics complained that the decision by Brian Mulroney‘s Conservative government to buy the truck was politically motivated and an attempt to win votes in British Columbia. They argued at the time that the vehicle was not suited for Canadian military use.
LSVW engines have also caught fire, damaging or destroying a number of the trucks. The truck‘s brakes are also extremely noisy, warning enemy forces well in advance of the presence of Canadian soldiers.
Fuel change renders military‘s fleet of light trucks obsolete
Trucks run on diesel while other nations‘ fleets require kerosene-based fuel
a journalist
CanWest News Service
Monday, January 26, 2004
The military‘s $278-million fleet of light trucks is all but useless for overseas missions because the diesel they run on isn‘t readily available and Canada‘s allies are switching to a different type of fuel to operate in their vehicles.
The problems centre on the Canadian Forces Light Support Vehicle Wheeled or LSVW which runs on diesel. But over the years NATO nations have switched to a kerosene-based fuel called JP-8 which can be used in both aircraft and vehicles. That has left the 2,800 Canadian-made trucks high and dry on overseas missions where diesel would not readily be available from allied military depots or too costly to transport from Canada in large quantities.
"The Army cannot rely on this vehicle for operations outside of Canada," warns a blunt assessment of the LSVW‘s deficiencies produced last year by the military.
Colonel Bob Gunn, who oversees the army‘s equipment needs, said the switch over to JP-8 has all but sidelined the LSVW for overseas missions. "We can‘t take them into an operational theatre," Gunn acknowledged.
"It‘s a diesel truck. You go on a NATO operation and they‘re running JP-8."
The army decided against using significant numbers of LSVWs in Afghanistan for that reason. Gunn said the military has redesigned a few of the trucks to run on JP-8 and may be using those in Afghanistan. But overall the conversion program was found to be too costly since engines and other key components had to be replaced, he noted.
JP-8 is considered by NATO as providing better mileage and being safer and easier to handle. The fuel also provides excellent performance in extreme cold weather.
The decision to phase out gasoline and diesel and replace them with JP-8 over a 22-year period was supported by NATO and the U.S. defence department in 1988, according to American military documents. Canadian military officials, however, say that NATO didn‘t make the formal decision until last year.
Switching to one fuel for all allied armies is seen as a key move in simplifying the supply system for troops in the field.
The problem with the LSVW, delivered to the army starting in 1994 by Western Star of Kelowna, B.C., is the latest in a series of issues dogging that truck fleet. Critics complained that the decision by Brian Mulroney‘s Conservative government to buy the truck was politically motivated and an attempt to win votes in British Columbia. They argued at the time that the vehicle was not suited for Canadian military use.
LSVW engines have also caught fire, damaging or destroying a number of the trucks. The truck‘s brakes are also extremely noisy, warning enemy forces well in advance of the presence of Canadian soldiers.
