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| Army vehicles 'held up in Dubai' | Army vehicles 'held up in Dubai' |
| (19 minutes later) | |
| Nine heavily-armoured vehicles for UK troops in Afghanistan were stranded in Dubai because of a lack of transport planes, the Conservatives have claimed. | Nine heavily-armoured vehicles for UK troops in Afghanistan were stranded in Dubai because of a lack of transport planes, the Conservatives have claimed. |
| The Ridgbacks, built to withstand mines, were left at an airbase last month after RAF C-17 planes were diverted to Iraq, the party says. | |
| Shadow defence secretary Liam Fox described the delay as "inexcusable". | Shadow defence secretary Liam Fox described the delay as "inexcusable". |
| Defence officials say six vehicles have now been delivered and the other three will arrive by the end of the week. | Defence officials say six vehicles have now been delivered and the other three will arrive by the end of the week. |
| Eighteen months ago, the government ordered 150 Ridgback armoured vehicles, which offer greater protection against landmines than the more lightly-armoured Snatch Land Rovers which are also used by UK forces in Afghanistan. | |
| 'Range of factors' | 'Range of factors' |
| The government began the process of transporting the vehicles to Afghanistan, but the Conservatives say their delivery was delayed because the RAF's C-17 aircraft were instead deployed to move equipment in Iraq. | The government began the process of transporting the vehicles to Afghanistan, but the Conservatives say their delivery was delayed because the RAF's C-17 aircraft were instead deployed to move equipment in Iraq. |
| The BBC's Ian Watson said security concerns prevented the use of civilian aircraft to transport the armoured cars. | The BBC's Ian Watson said security concerns prevented the use of civilian aircraft to transport the armoured cars. |
| Mr Fox condemned the delay. | Mr Fox condemned the delay. |
| "The idea that we would have bought potentially life-saving vehicles and then not have the ability to ensure that they would get to those that need them is inexcusable," he told the Daily Telegraph. | "The idea that we would have bought potentially life-saving vehicles and then not have the ability to ensure that they would get to those that need them is inexcusable," he told the Daily Telegraph. |
| A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said delivery times could be affected by a range of factors, including aircraft availability and conflicting operational priorities. | A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said delivery times could be affected by a range of factors, including aircraft availability and conflicting operational priorities. |