A member of The Parachute Regiment patrols on a quad bike in Zabol province, Afghanistan
[Picture: Sergeant Ian Houlding, Crown Copyright/MOD 2009]
200 of the upgraded all-terrain vehicles and trailers have been ordered for British troops as part of a £5m contract with Yamaha and Logic.
The upgrades to the bikes include a left hand throttle which provides a dual throttle fit giving greater manoeuvrability in theatre; and dual stretcher fit on the trailers to evacuate two casualties at a time thereby speeding up emergency aid.
Minister for Defence Equipment and Support, Quentin Davies, said:
"The new quad bikes are already playing a vital role on operations, from providing logistics support to casualty evacuation. This additional delivery, complete with upgrades, will ensure that they continue this role.
"We remain committed to providing the best equipment and vehicles for our troops on the front line."
The quad bikes can reach speeds of up to 75km/h, can carry up to almost 160kg with the trailer attached, and are already being used to deliver food, water and ammunition to troops on the front line in difficult to access areas - or where it is more appropriate to offer a lower profile.
Even with the trailer attached, they can operate through streams and puddles of up to half their wheel-height.
Major Matt Cansdale of 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment, who used the bikes during his recent operational tour, added:
"The quad bikes proved to be reliable and able to go places that no other vehicle could. The equipment that the quad bikes were able to carry enabled us to launch patrols that covered more distance and were longer in duration than would otherwise have been the case, so we were able to push into areas that the enemy did not expect us.
"The ability to evacuate casualties effectively and quickly also meant that we could move away from established routes while limiting the risk to our forces."