LAV in Afghanstan

[Spencer100]

One question about the LAV for Op Archer.  Why did we not paint them?  We have sent the troops in desert Canpat unlike 2002.  Should the LAVs been repainted or does it not matter.  

Nice pics of LAV in Afghanistan

http://www.counterterrorismblog.org/galleries/afghanistan-one/convoy/lav-convoy-007.jpg.html

(I did search the site before asking.)

 

[George Wallace]

Too expensive to sand blast all the special paints and treatments that they have on them, to redo with special paints and treatments of a different colour, only have to redo the process in reverse when they come back.  Those paints require special protective clothing and expert applications.  They are highly carcinogenic.  The Paint and coatings applied are very expensive; last I heard about ten years ago was $250 a liter for paint.

Mud and Dust usually coat the vehicles, in the natural colours of the land, within minutes of driving down a track anyway.  You can't see the paint under all the dirt.   ;D

 

[GO!!!]

But George,

We slathered that very expensive paint over Ilti (plural of Iltis), MLVWs, Gators, Four wheelers, and three different AVGP variants in 2002 like there was no tomorrow!

Some even applied it to their helmets, web gear and weapons.

Also, since all of the kit is staying in theatre for at least another two and a half years, when does it become "permanent" enough to paint the vehicles environmental colors? Is there a set period of time?

 

[George Wallace]

We still haven't painted over all the White trucks and things with those big Black "UN" letters on them.  I guess we ran out of paint.  ;D

 

[HollywoodHitman]

The Dutch haven't painted their equiptment either...Instead, they made mud and painted nice little patterns all over their vehicles in Afghan dirt! Cheap to make and replace, easy to reapply. It's a renewable and environmentally friendly paint-alternative.

I'm going to have a granola bar now.

Good day.

 

[combatbuddha]

Having been in Kandahar in 2005, I can say that most of the vehicles become tan with the fine dust in the air. We never washed our vehicles to help detere the use of stickey bombs. The tan uniforms are nice as they don't attract the solar radiation as the temperate do. I agree with the the previous reply about the special paint being a bitch to work with. It may seem like a good idea at the time to slop it about, but the long term affects are bad, very bad. Sometimes it's better to be seen so that the people don't make a mistake.

 

[geo]

not all vehicles are gonna stay in theatre for the duration of the mission
some are being rotated back to Canada for major service & the like....

WRT the vehicle colours..... as stated, doesn't matter much

 

[military granny]

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=d2ace8bb-b41f-4b8c-afce-f6dbfef1d7e5&k=60414