§ Mr. Martyn JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the use of explosion mitigation technology in the fuel tanks of armoured fighting vehicles used by British forces. [177214]
§ Mr. IngramIn the main, the armoured vehicles used by the British forces rely on the protection afforded to the fuel tanks by the vehicle's armour and the positioning of tanks themselves within the vehicle. Some of the newer armoured vehicles currently in service, however, have additional measures incorporated in their design, with the intention of reducing the risk of fire and explosion in the fuel tanks.
In addition, since the acceptance and implementation of the current NATO Single Fuels Policy by the United Kingdom in 1991, all operational vehicles procured will run on diesel or kerosene type fuels which are inherently 810W safer than gasoline. This in itself mitigates against the threat of fire, because of the reduction in the flammability of the fuel. For older vehicles, conversion programmes have been undertaken where this represents a cost-effective option for the remaining life of the fleet.