WASHINGTON — If the Army opts to buy fewer bomb-resistant vehicles for troops in Iraq, the leftover money should be used to sharpen the combat edge of U.S. ground forces, according to congressional proponents of the trucks.

While senior Army officials in Washington have made no decision to purchase fewer than 10,000 mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles, it's expected they will do so as improved security in Iraq lowers demand for the heavy, V-shaped hulls.

"It would not surprise me if they made an adjustment," Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said yesterday. Morrell was referring to comments from commanders in Iraq that the Army's need for MRAPs probably will decline because the number of roadside bomb attacks has steadily dropped over the past few months.

But Morrell said there's no change to the current strategy.

"As it stands right now, we continue to buy as many MRAPs as can be produced, and that has not changed," Morrell said.

Congress has provided the Pentagon with $21 billion to buy more than 15,000 MRAPs. The Marine Corps, citing the reduced violence in Iraq and the ungainly size of the vehicles, has already announced it wants only 2,300 of the vehicles — 1,400 fewer than initially planned.

The chairman of the House subcommittee overseeing land forces said it would be good news if the Army also cuts its MRAP buy because dollars set aside for the vehicles can be redirected to address readiness shortfalls caused by repeated deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.

"No one would be happier about it than me," Rep. Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawai'i, said. "If it turns out that we don't need all of the $21 billion, that will enable us to put that money into readiness."

At a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing last month, the Army's chief of staff said half of the 44 active-duty combat brigades are rated as not ready for battle. With so much personnel and equipment deployed for extended periods in harsh environments, the Army has fallen further and further behind in getting stateside units prepared to fight.

"We're consuming readiness as fast as we build it," Gen. George Casey told the committee.

More money would allow the Army to repair or replace equipment more quickly and bring on additional troops to ease the strain, he said.

The Pentagon remains on track to deliver 1,500 MRAPs to the troops, with most of those going to Iraq, Morrell said. Just over 1,100 have been delivered so far.

MRAP manufacturers produced 809 vehicles in November, 188 fewer than the goal for that month. Close to 9,000 vehicles have been ordered.

Make a difference. Donate to The Advertiser Christmas Fund.