<XMP><BODY></xmp> Ramming vehicle for SWAT teams




Ramming vehicle for SWAT teams

        In Holland in June, 1977 South Moluccan terrorists simultaneously hijacked a train and a school. Dutch Marines liberated the train at De Punt by innovative use of machine guns and F104 fighters, which were used to distract the terrorists. It is the methods used to rescue the hostages in the school children that is of interest to us, however.
        Entry was gained to the building by simply ramming through a wooden wall in an APC. In the reconstruction I saw the vehicle was a Saracen APC and the vehicle was reversed through the wall.

        Many SWAT teams have armoured or heavy vehicles that they can use to break down doors or walls, but the simple innovation of reversing into a ram is not one that appears to be widely practiced. Reversing has several advantages:

        Some modifications may be needed:-

        A "doors first" ramming mission offers obvious tactical advantages, but these can be increased further.
        There is no reason why Stun, Bucha-effect* or Flash-bulb grenades can't be mounted on the outside of the vehicle and triggered before the assault team exits. A simple circuit would prevent these firing once the doors are open, so they will not affect the Assault team. Nozzles or discharger cups on the boom could also introduce irritant or screening agents into the room. These can be triggered either by the driver or SWAT commander on the moment of break-through to disorientate the room.


* "High intensity strobe lights which flash at near human brain wave frequency causing vertigo, disorientation, and vomiting."
Evancoe, Paul. (1994, May.-Jun.). Non-lethal Alternatives Weighed by Law Officers. National Defense, 73, (498) 28-30.


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