The former commander of the British forces in Afghanistan has attacked the Ministry of Defence for leaving armoured vehicles "parked up doing nothing" at a UK base.
Colonel Richard Kemp described as "extraordinary" pictures published by the News of the World showing very large numbers of the vehicles at a facility in Gloucestershire.
The MoD insisted that the equipment was at the Defence Storage and Distribution Agency site to be fitted with armour, radios and to undergo testing.
But Col Kemp said the numbers involved were "disproportionate" and questioned why the potentially life-saving hardware was not at the front line.
"We are continuously told, by people from the Chief of the General Staff downward, that there is a shortage of the right vehicles in theatre, he told the newspaper. "It seems extraordinary that they should be sitting here parked up doing nothing whatsoever when they are needed out there."
"If you consider that the Viking in which Colonel (Rupert) Thorneloe was killed is a less-protected vehicle than a Mastiff or a Ridgback, you have to ask why they are still running around in Vikings when they could be using the other types of vehicles that are parked up in Gloucestershire," he said - in a reference to the highest-ranking British officer to be killed in more than 25 years.
An MoD spokesman said: "It is completely unsustainable to have all our vehicles in theatre at once. It is imperative that if the mission is to be sustainable, we need to have a fleet in theatre and in the UK for training, maintenance and critical upgrades.
"We have now spent over £1 billion on new vehicles for operations, with a total of 1,200 new vehicles supporting operations that have been ordered over the last two years.
"Vehicles are delivered to DSDA by industry where they are fitted with radios and armour and checked to ensure they are the correct standard to satisfy the troops on the ground. They are then either distributed to theatre, used for training or domestic purposes in the UK or held in reserve capability. Vehicles also go through maintenance at DSDA."
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Col Kemp said: "It is clear that the MoD needs to maintain vehicle stocks in theatre and some back in the UK. But the numbers you are talking about here are disproportionate. The MoD explanation just doesn't stand up."
