Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
assume that it would be in a position to make informed selections — often
picks the wrong product. The DEA has an extensive presence in the
cocaine-producing countries of South America. As you might imagine, this
is a hazardous assignment. The DEA decided that the agents needed to
have their vehicles armored to reduce the danger from local drug traf-
fickers as well as communist rebels. Millions of dollars were spent to armor
the vehicles. Unfortunately, the individual in charge of procurement did
not analyze the threat the agents were facing. In Colombia and Peru, for
example, the bad guys favor AK-47 assault rifles. The armored vehicles
Exhibit 9.8
Armored Vehicle by O'Gara & Hess
Photo courtesy of Armor Holdings, Inc.
purchased by the DEA were designed to provide protection against hand-
gun rounds only and were insufficient to meet the threat. On one occasion,
several armed men carrying assault rifles stopped a car driven by an agent
and his girlfriend. They ordered the couple to exit the vehicle. The agent,
aware that the vehicle armor would not stop the bullets fired by their
weapons, complied. Fortunately, they both survived the encounter. How-
ever, had the vehicle been appropriately armored, they could have simply
driven away from their assailants. Similar cases have occurred in Israel
with tragic results. On one occasion at least, terrorists using machine guns
attacked an armored school bus. The armor was not designed to defeat
rifle rounds. Bullets penetrated into the interior of the bus and several
people were killed.
Different regions in the world pose markedly different risks. For exam-
ple, in the United States, handguns pose the most common threat. In many
other parts of the world, assailants are more likely to be armed with rifles.
Every vehicle that will be used where there is a threat from shoulder
weapons should be capable of defeating rounds fired from such weapons.
Most terrorists abroad will use AK-47 rifles, which fire 7.62
39 rounds.
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