An IDF jeep posted at the Jordan River, West Bank. Image credit Green Prophet
The Israel Air Force is doing it (with solar panels), and now the IDF, Israel Defence Forces will save carbon emissions as it looks to buy hybrid Jeeps. Haaretz newspaper reports that the IDF is now testing the hybrid Ford Escape to see how it performs, and that the force is not making the switch out of environment concerns. They want to save money on gas.
Intended to provide support for forces in the field, the Ford Escape could also become a mobile command center, transporting a limited number of soldiers or equipment, and it may even be used to evacuate casualties. With good fuel efficiency for an SUV (12-15 kilometers per liter – depending on road conditions), gas savings will be less when the jeep is used for off-roading purposes.
According to the report, the Ground Forces unit, which will test the vehicle, has asked Ford for a few test models and a price quote. The unit already tested the Indian Mahindra SUV, and found it lacking. The army will also conduct a test of the radiation levels emitted by the Escape to see if soldiers can spend over four hours inside at a stretch.
But any army, from Israel, the Middle East, America or Europe is not serving higher green ideals. Just read the cost of conflict to the environment report. While it sounds good for the media that an army in the world is going green, the greenest army is no army. We can dream.
More on greening the army in Israel and the cost of conflict:
Israel Plans Solar Installations at All Its Bases
Israel’s Army Makes Advances in Green
The IDF Says Birds, Not Guns
The Israeli Army Tries To Go Green
Choose the Environment in Middle East Conflict
::Haaretz
