BUDGET
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As the information shows, the main amount of “Big Six” money goes towards the Next-Gen Combat Vehicle. It is high time for an Abrams replacement to get started.
US Army modernization can take many forms. Again, I reiterate that I believe the key “game changer” here would be the Mobile Protected Firepower Light Tank. That would put the US Army into low to medium intensity conflicts that the heavier Bradleys and Abrams cannot enter. The MPF Light Tank would provide soldiers and US Marines added armor and firepower that they never had outside of the Stryker, JLTV, and HMMWV.
However, there are additional ways that the US Army can modernize. One would be a variety of remote armored turrets on the HMMWV and JLTV similar to what NATO and the Russians have…turrets that can mount 12.7mm, 25mm, 40mm AGL, and 30mm cannons. The days of open-top turrets with gunners poking their heads out, aiming and shooting is just so archaic in a major conflict with another First-rate nation.
Another option would be to field back the 20mm cannon. Both the USMC and US Army have this gatling gun in the form of 20mm CIWS Phalanx and AH-1Z so both services do have the cannon and ammo for it. The 20mm canon should be fielded on the JLTV and HMMWV as a single-barrel weapon and a step above the M2HB and below the 30mm Bushmaster II.
The US Army should create a “Light Vehicle Force” using the MPF Light Tank and perhaps the Yagu, M1117 APC with RWS, and Mantis armored 4X4 ATV. We now know that USSOCOM and the USMC don’t like the open unarmored MRZRs and ATVs and won’t use them for Real World Missions. Having an armored enclosed ATV with a remote weapons turret might add some additional mobile protected firepower behind the Light Tank. The M1117 APC would provide troops with the same armor protection levels as the Light Tank. These are better than the HMMWV or JLTV.
Yes, the US Army wants to modernize and replace the Bradleys and Abrams with Next-Gen Combat Vehicle. However, I still think a “Light Force” of armored vehicles might see more use in the Real World and insurgency conflicts out there. Strykers, Stryker 30mm Dragoons, and JLTVs might work in the interim, but a Light Force with rapid deploybility can really be used to secure and assist SOFs and soldiers around the world…just think of what the Yagu, M1117, and Mantis could have done if in the Niger ambush.
Peter
Isn't that the helo from Avatar?
Bob Lowe at 10:27 AM