Парламент Великобритании боится, что американцы перестреляют британских солдат Британские парламентарии требуют у министерства обороны страны принять срочные меры по недопущению поражения военнослужащих, задействованных в антитеррористических операциях, так называемым "дружественным огнем", сообщает британская компания ВВС. Речь идет о возможных потерях британских войск, попадающих под случайный обстрел подразделений союзников. Так, во время войны в Персидском заливе в результате авианалета ВВС США погибли девять морских пехотинцев армии Великобритании. По мнению представителей Палаты общин, действия военного ведомства по предотвращению дальнейших инцидентов неэффективны. Еще в 1992 году руководству британского министерства обороны было предложено незамедлительно разработать новую систему электронной идентификации "свой-чужой", однако только в текущем году военное ведомство одобрило план реализации подобных мер. Последнее из случаев обмена "дружественным огнем" произошел в ночь со вторника на среду в восточном Афганистане. Подразделения американских морских пехотинцев вступили в бой с отрядами афганских союзников, которые обстреляли их в пригороде города Гардез. По данным американского командования, которые приводит Reuters, в перестрелке никто не пострадал. UK troops 'at risk from friendly fire' The MoD "has not done enough" to protect troops Urgent action is needed to prevent more UK troops being killed by so-called "friendly fire", an influential group of MPs has warned. The lives of our forces, and indeed of innocent civilians too, depend on some urgent action Edward Leigh, committee chairman During the Gulf War nine British soldiers were killed in a US air raid, and there have been a number of incidents since. In a highly critical report, the Commons public accounts committee says the Ministry of Defence has not done enough to prevent further tragedies. But Defence Minister Lord Bach insisted the MoD took the issue "extremely seriously" and had taken a number of steps to address the problems. Slow progress? The report examines the MoD's systems for distinguishing between friendly, neutral and hostile elements on the battlefield. It says defence chiefs were warned in 1992 that they should urgently procure an electronic Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) system. A decade later, the MoD has only just approved a policy paper on combat identification. Some of the solutions needed to implement the policy are "years away from fruition," the report says. "It is unsatisfactory that the department has made such slow progress in developing combat identification solutions to the risks of friendly fire, and it needs to increase the tempo of its efforts." Combat effectiveness Delays in acquiring a combat identification system were even impeding the effectiveness of some weapons systems, say the MPs. Nine British troops were killed by friendly fire in the Gulf The ?2bn Rapier air defence missile system had to operate at just 25% of its potential capability in order to minimise the risk of "friendly fire" casualties, the report says. The MoD's habit of expressing the number of friendly fire casualties as a proportion of troops deployed, rather than as a share of all casualties, means that the department is "in danger of underplaying the implications" of such incidents. Morale issues The report also warns that the failure to develop a combat identification capability heightened the risk of civilian casualties. That problem could damage public support for future deployments, it argues. There is no easy panacea to this - there is no purely technical solution Lord Bach Future operations are likely to be undertaken with allies, which "obviously complicates combat identification and increases the risks of friendly fire", the report adds. Committee chairman Edward Leigh said: "The MoD has been rather pedestrian in making progress on tackling the risks from friendly fire. "The lives of our forces, and indeed of innocent civilians too, depend on some urgent action." 'Not good enough' Liberal Democrat committee member David Rendel was even more critical of the MoD. "All that they have done over the last 10 years is produce a policy paper and frankly that is not good enough when you know that in the Gulf and in other activities since then, we have lost a number of troops to friendly fire," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. The MoD appear to be supremely indifferent to the safety of our forces Mark Stephens With the possibility of war with Iraq topping the political agenda, Conservative shadow defence minister Gerald Howarth said tackling the problem had to be a high priority before British troops were deployed in the Gulf again. Lawyer Mark Stephens, who represents 12 British families who lost relatives in friendly fire incidents during the Gulf War, told Today that a fifth of all casualties from that conflict were from friendly fire. Mr Stephens said: "The MoD appear to be supremely indifferent to the safety of our forces." New tools Instead, Lord Bach insisted: "Modern warfare is much more complicated. We have done a lot. "There is no easy panacea to this - there is no purely technical solution. Equipment can take us some of the way, but that is only part of the solution." Lord Bach said half a billion pounds was being spent on the successor to the IFF system. The long-awaited Bowman radio was en route and will be a "brilliant communication system". Troops operating in Afghanistan had been given personal radios, he told Today. WATCH/LISTEN ON THIS STORY The BBC's Paul Adams "The MoD's progress has been called pedestrian" UK Defence Minister Lord Bach "We take the issue... extremely seriously" David Rendell, Liberal Democrat "We have lost a number of troops to friendly fire" See also: 28 Jun 02 | Americas Pilots blamed for 'friendly fire' deaths 18 Apr 02 | Americas Analysis: 'Friendly fire' danger 07 Mar 02 | UK MoD warned over friendly fire Internet links: Commons public accounts committee Ministry of Defence The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites Top Politics stories now: UK troops 'at risk from friendly fire' Sleaze watchdog snubs Campbell Blair urged to be 'cautious' over Iraq Afghans offered cash to return Ministers urged to object to Libya role Bishop backs asylum plans Death penalty call renewed Move to ban 'mobile drivers' criticised Links to more Politics stories are at the foot of the page.