By: David Pugliese, Defence Watch
Canadian military planners are currently going over options for the upcoming mission to Baghdad starting in the fall. The deployment includes a force protection group of about 125 personnel. They will provide on-site security for the NATO headquarters in the Iraqi capital city as well a mobile force protection group. The force will be outfitted with armoured vehicles for transportation, according to the Canadian government.
Defence Watch asked Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan’s office if LAV-llls were going to be sent. But Byrne Furlong, Sajjan’s press secretary, said no final decision has been made yet on the type of armoured platform troops will use.
One Department of National Defence official suggested that armoured SUVs could be used since the patrols will largely be in Baghdad.
Which raises the question- what about using the new Tactical Armoured Patrol Vehicle?
The vehicle is highly mobile and provides a very high degree of protection for its crew, according to the Canadian Army. It is not as big as the LAV-lll and could be better suited for an urban environment.
Furlong said more information on the composition of the mission and equipment it will use will be released at a later date.
While security is tight in Baghdad, there still attacks. The United Nations reported that 19 people were killed and 18 injured in various attacks in the city in June. In January, suicide bombers killed 38 people and injured more than 105 others
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