Spain boosts their soldiers’ safety in A’stan

The Spanish MP of Defense, Carme Chacón, presented today the new RG-31 Nyala that will equip Spanish soldiers in Afghanistan. The armored truck arrives late but at least arrives. It’s more than what British soldiers can say. The handling of the first vehicles was delayed for several months while a huge internal debate grew up in the public opinion surrounding the security of the troops the country has deployed in Central Asia.

In fact, the RG-31 is an old demand from Spanish officials. The BMR used until now, although heavily modernized, have three decades behind are all but inefficient against the IEDs used by the Taliban. The Nyala (gazelle in Afrikaans), however, is able to resist the impact of two anti-tank mines’ simultaneous explosion.

But that doesn’t equals to Ms. Chacón’s words, describing the RG-31 as the “most modern and safer” vehicle in the ISAF mission. Sure, the modifications added by the Israeli company Rafael (an automated firing turret) gives it some advantage, but the most difficult operational issue on these vehicles is the driving, as they are really easy to overturn. And if practice is required, then the Americans, Canadians and Dutch are way ahead of the Spaniards.

As for them, their first Nyalas arrived during the last month in Quala-i-Now, where they will operate. Last weekend two new vehicles completed the first unit. However, few less are expected for now. Only 20 more will arrive until the end of the year. The rest of the 61 total RG-31 that Spain will deploy will arrive in March, with the refreshment troops.

Of course, with the deployment of these vehicles, all together with the increase of the forces up to 1,000 soldiers, will become a greater responsibility. Americans, British, Canadian and Dutch soldiers were having until now the biggest weight in combat operations. The rest of the ISAF members -including Spain- did few more than reconstruction missions and hardly patrolled far away from their bases. However, the expansion of the insurgency to areas before considered safe (like the north and the west; ask the Germans about this) will make these nations to rethink the strategy.

The trucks will come then in the perfect timing for the Spanish troops. Of course, the PR operation sending now a few of the vehicles is not either casual. It’s expected that during the winter, insurgency will decrease near to zero. Is not that the Taliban are granting a ceasefire to the ISAF, but that Afghan roads, difficult to transit in summer, become impossible to drive in winter.

Up until the spring, we will heard press releases from NATO HQs praising for how well is working the new McChrystal’s strategy and -in Spain- how good is the new equipment and how well protects Spanish soldiers. Until the snow will melt and attacks will begin again. We will see then that few has changed. Not even Spanish politicians addressing the war in Afghanistan as what it is: a war.

Canadian RG-31 in A'Stan


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