Technical I.

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The technical!!

That favorite weapon of the irregular fighter in the modern sense. Third world nations or insurgencies such as ISIL in Iraq employing a pick up truck [Toyota preferred] with a heavy weapon mounted on it.

That correct combination mobility, firepower, maintenance-free for the most part! PREFERRED! Ideal from the stand-point of the third world insurgent.

"A technical is a type of improvised fighting vehicle, typically a civilian or military non-combat vehicle, modified to provide an offensive capability similar to a military gun truck. It is usually an open-backed civilian pickup truck [Toyota versions preferred] or four-wheel drive vehicle mounting a machine gun, light anti-aircraft gun, recoilless rifle, or other support weapon."

Firepower often that heavy Soviet era machine gun, a .57 caliber [14.5 mm] mounted on a tripod attached to the flat-bed of the pick up truck.

"Among irregular armies, often centered around the perceived strength and charisma of warlords, the prestige power of technicals is strong. According to one article, 'The Technical is the most significant symbol of power in southern Somalia. It is a small truck with large tripod machine guns mounted on the back. A warlord's power is measured by how many of these vehicles he has.'"

Those Polisario guerrillas pioneering the use of the technical, the Somali popularizing to the greatest degree, and as recently used by ISIL insurgents that Iraqi army put to sudden and humiliating rout.

"Tactics for employing technicals were pioneered by the Sahrawi People's Liberation Army . . . Algeria provided arms and Land Rovers to Sahrawi guerrillas, who successfully used them in long-range desert raids against the less agile conventional armies of their opponents, recalling Sahrawi tribal raids (ghazzis) of the pre-colonial period."

Within the Islamic world consider the technical as the modern day version of the Muslim warrior of old. Riding fast, not encumbered in the usual fashion as is the conventional military force, logistical support hardly a consideration for the irregular fighter manning that heavy machine gun.

Again, ISIL and others not only using quite successfully using the technical, but PREFERRING to employ same!!

See here an entire web site devoted to the technical including short documentary film.

coolbert.