The Defence Force says an Australian soldier killed in Afghanistan had little chance of survival, and has rejected claims the evacuation process took too long.
Signaller Sean McCarthy was fatally wounded when the vehicle he was travelling in drove over an improvised explosive device (IED).
The bomb was struck after the vehicle's course was changed to avoid rough terrain but the Australian Defence Force has placed no blame on the driver.
Resuscitation attempts were carried out on Signaller McCarthy for over an hour and a half until he was pronounced dead on arrival at the Taran-Kowt medical base.
Coalition partners have criticised the delay in evacuating Signaller McCarthy but Vice Chief of the Defence Force David Hurley says he could not have been saved.
"There was almost no prospect of survival, even had he reached a surgical facility within an hour of injury."
Although Signaller McCarthy was not wearing a helmet, Defence has placed no blame on equipment, process or personnell.