Editorial: There’s no time to lose

Thursday, June 14, 2007 | 8:04 a.m.

A C alifornia company has announced a breakthrough in the design and manufacture of a combat vehicle that could better protect U.S. troops in Iraq from roadside bombs. No troops will be saved, however, if the Pentagon doesn't order the vehicle, known as "the Bull."

The company, Ceradyne Vehicle Armor Systems, along with its partner, Ideal Innovations Inc. of Virginia, sent out a news release last week announcing that the Bull has "successfully passed limited testing by the U.S. government."

"It has clearly demonstrated a level of performance and crew survivability not previously seen in other armored vehicles," a Ceradyne vice president said.

The Bull, which can be used for transporting troops or cargo, is claimed to be effective against even the most lethal of the roadside bombs seen in Iraq, which are known as explosively formed penetrators.

USA Today reported Monday that the manufacturers say the Bull is ready to go into production immediately. The Marine Corps told the paper, however, that it was still evaluating the Bull, and the Army said it could not comment because it has not issued any contracts for the vehicle.

The military's noncommittal reaction to a vehicle that could save soldiers and Marines, and whose design was paid for with federal money, was met with strong criticism from Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Biden previously criticized the Pentagon for moving agonizingly slowly on the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle. This is another anti-roadside-bomb vehicle, finally in full production. The Bull has been designed to work in conjunction with MRAPs in urban settings.

In a letter last month to Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Biden urged quick action on the Bull, saying, "We must make sure that this is not another MRAP story that falls through the cracks." To USA Today, in reference to the Bull, Biden said, "The ball is being dropped again."

With 70 percent of U.S. and coalition casualties in Iraq being inflicted by roadside bombs, there is no time to lose. Gates should fast-track final testing on the Bull and if no deficiencies are found, order it into production immediately, with the factories working 24/7.