Military equipment unfit for desert combat

UK troops could be deployed in Iraq

Much of the army's equipment is not up to the rigours of desert warfare. That is today's conclusion of a government watchdog which has studied kit failures during a training exercise in Oman.

A report by the National Audit Office in London has found that tanks, helicopters, self-propelled guns and heavy lifting vehicles all struggled in the desert heat and dust.

Breakfast spoke to the Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram:

Click here to see out interview with Adam Ingram MP

"Many of the issues are being addressed"

The operation was a major success to the UK. It did expose shortfalls and weaknesses but that was part of the purpose of the exercise.

Many of the issues are being addressed, there are major replacement programmes in place... every time we've put our people in the front line, they've succeeded against the odds

The BBC's Defence Correspondent Paul Adams says there was serious problems with important pieces of equipment:

Click here to see Paul Adams's report

It also concluded that some of the clothing issued to troops was hopelessly inadequate and that boots melted in the heat.

Such shortcomings may have relevance for any military strike against Iraq as speculation mounts that Britain may join a possible US-led attack to oust Saddam Hussein.

For three months last year, 22,000 British troops went to Oman for Saif Sareea, Britain's biggest desert exercise since the Gulf War.

The National Audit Office report says the UK was successful in sending forces a long distance but aircraft were very stretched.

Half the tanks and nearly half the helicopters broke down.

Parts of some artillery guns melted and many troops sweltered in boots and uniforms designed for British winters.

The army's main battle tank - Challenger 2 - ground to a halt as dust clogged its filters.

Communications' systems were vulnerable, which resulted in some units unable to talk to each other.

Such revelations suggest Britain may struggle to take part in any US-led attack on Iraq.