CITROEN’S BERLINGO JOINS THE BRITISH ARMY!
The British military has always been renowned around the world for its first class battle hardware, Chinook helicopters, Challenger tanks and, of course, Land Rovers, but what is probably the most visible face of the British military is changing in its remotest posting, the Falkland Islands, with military Land Rovers being replaced by a fleet of Citroen Berlingo vans.
The Falkland Islands are legendary for their harsh weather, lack of roads and near-impossible driving conditions, so why did Squadron Leader Peter Harris decide to replace the majority of his 300-strong Land Rover fleet with Citroen Berlingos?
“Most of our driving is actually done on the airbase and for that the Berlingo is fine,” he says. “It can carry five soldiers and all their kit, while the load area is great for transporting food rations and other supplies.”
So was there a threat of a mutiny when the soldiers found out that their camouflaged Land Rovers were being replaced by a fleet of bright blue Berlingos?
“It’s a bit of an image thing,” says Squadron Leader Harris. “But the military is more concerned with getting the job done and for that, the Citroen fulfils its purpose. In the event of an attack, the Berlingo will be just as good at getting the commanders to their operations rooms and the pilots to their fighter aircraft.”
So why did the British Army decide to go French, rather than buy something more patriotic?
“The Falklands is a remote place – more than 14,000 km from the nearest British Citroen dealer – so we have to be able to service the vehicles ourselves. We spoke to many manufacturers, but Citroen were the only one which had the technology to train our technicians and that would let us do this without invalidating the warranties,” says Squadron Leader Harris. “An out of action vehicle means someone can’t do their job properly and that affects our ability to operate as a defence force. But if we need something sorted out, we won’t be messed around. We have guns and we kill people!”
Citroen UK’s Paul Atkins is the man responsible for ensuring that the British military’s fleet of Berlingos is always turned out for parade.
This includes not only arranging training for the Army technicians in the Falklands, but also delivering parts to them, which is why a red Citroen parts van is regularly seen loading into an RAF Hercules aircraft at RAF Brize Norton in the UK for what is probably the longest Citroen parts delivery run in the world.
The training itself is carried out by training technician, Mike Jones, who brings the Army mechanics up to the same standard as any technician in a normal Citroën dealer. This includes the use of the Citroen Proxia service computer, the same one found in every Australian Citroën dealer, and which allows Mike Jones to examine every electrical feature of the Berlingos on the Falkland Islands, even when he is back in his office in Slough, west of London.
The Proxia service computer connects up to every Citroen and once connected, not only tells the technician standing alongside the vehicle every technical requirement and service issue, it can also be connected, via the internet, to Citroen UK, who can operate every feature in the car except turn the ignition key. In the same way, here in Australia, Citroen’s technical team at Citroen’s Sydney office can connect instantly to cars not just across Australia, but anywhere in the world to offer assistance.
This amazing computer also contains every service manual for every Citroen sold since 1980 everywhere in the world and it automatically updates itself every time it is connected. So, if in the unlikely situation that an Australian market Citroen C5 turned up on the Falklands, the British military is fully equipped to service it!
The man responsible for the team of technicians servicing the Berlingos is Captain Phil Coghlan.
“I’ve recently finished a tour in Canada where I was responsible for keeping 50 Challenger main battle tanks operational,” he explains. “Working with the Citroens may not be as glamorous as working on a 62 tonne tank with a 900 kW V12 engine, but it’s not such hard work either. Tanks, by their nature, require more servicing. My role in the Falklands is more like being the service manager in a Citroen dealership, except I wear a camouflage uniform and I am fully trained with an assault rifle!”
The Citroen Berlingos aren’t used just by the rank and file on operational duty. The senior officers also get them as their company cars. Lieutenant-Colonel Guy Levene is more than happy to be using a Berlingo.
“I’m thankful they have CD players, most of the Land Rovers don’t, and the sliding doors are ideal for the windy conditions here, too,” he says. “The 120 kmh gales here can rip normal doors off their hinges.”
Citroen’s value-for-money pricing also has a lot to do with all the Berlingos swarming across the Falklands as the British military replaces the majority of its 300 strong Land Rover fleet with the French van.
“We can get three Berlingos for the price of one Land Rover Defender,” says Lieutenant-Colonel Levene. “That means not just reliable transport; we’re also saving taxpayers’ money. Keeping Chinook helicopters and Tornado fighters in the air is an expensive business!”
When the Argentinean Army invaded the Falklands in 1982, the most deadly threat to the British armed forces were French Exocet missiles delivered by French Mirage jets. Now the tables have turned with the British military French-equipped – so don’t mess with a British Solider and his French Berlingo!
Reproduced by kind permission of Auto Express magazine, the UK’s biggest selling weekly motoring magazine: www.autoexpress.co.uk
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Picture Captions:
FalklandsBerlingo_01: Mike Jones trains the British Army to the same level as a Citroën dealer with the aid of Citroën’s unique Proxia service computer.
FalklandsBerlingo_02: Lieutenant-Colonel Guy Levene says the Berlingo fleet is cheaper to buy and offers creature comforts absent in a Land Rover.
FalklandsBerlingo_03: On the frontline: Citroen’s Paul Atkins and Squadron Leader Peter Harris line-up with the British Army’s newest recruit, the Citroen Berlingo.
For further information:
Citroën Australia Media Web Site: http://media.ateco.com.au/
Miles Williams
/ Tel: (02) 9701 8020General Manager / Fax: (02) 9701 3555
Citroën Australia / Mob: 0419 800 520
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Edward Rowe
/ Tel: (02) 9701 8015Public Relations Manager / Fax: (02) 9701 3555
Citroën Australia / Mob: 0407 913 244
E-Mail:
Web site: www.Citroën.com.au
Citroën Australia
Street Address: Heritage Building, Campus Business Park, 350 Parramatta Road, Homebush NSW 2140 Australia. Postal Address: Ateco Automotive Pty Ltd,Locked Bag 260, Silverwater, NSW 1811, Australia
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EJR/ejr/559
6/11/2005