via Information Dissemination (note, this along with an article from the Conservative Wahoo are REQUIRED reading!)...below is the statement from the Commandant as presented on the I.D.'s website...my comments are in bold type.
Gen Amos' Statement on Cancellation of EFV Program
Topic: CMC Press Release - EFV TerminationReally Sir? The Air Wing is gobbling up the damn budget...the AH-1Z, UH-1Y, F-35B, CH-53K, and the MV-22B...yet we can't get the grunts an adequate Infantry Fighting Vehicle? Sir, you've got to be shitting me!
Today the Secretary of Defense announced the termination of the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV) program. I support his decision. After a thorough review of the program within the context of a broader Marine Corps Force Structure Review, I personally recommended to both the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of the Navy that the EFV be cancelled and that the Marine Corps pursue a more affordable amphibious tracked fighting vehicle.
So in other words Sir, what you expect your Warfighters to do is to ride in an updated 40 year old vehicle? Again Sir, you've got to be shitting me! Even if we follow the US Army's example and get new build AAV's dressed with uprated engines, blue force tracker, GPS, battlefield internet and perhaps ATK's compact 25mm cannon, we're still operating an uprated old vehicle. Damn Sir, you're making the idea of having only Grunt Commandant's make more and more sense!
Despite the critical amphibious and warfighting capability the EFV represents, the program is simply not affordable given likely Marine Corps procurement budgets. The procurement and operations/maintenance costs of this vehicle are onerous. After examining multiple options to preserve the EFV, I concluded that none of the options meets what we consider reasonable affordability criteria. As a result, I decided to pursue a more affordable vehicle.
With all due respect Sir, you're busting Sunshine off my ass! You're saying that we need to maintain an Amphibious Tractor in our Corps yet you didn't fight for this vehicle. A cheaper vehicle will be a less capable vehicle. High Speed? Kiss it good bye. A capable IFV defeating cannon? See ya! Hey Sir, be advised, you can't bullshit a bullshitter!
Our Nation’s amphibious capability remains the Corps’ priority. In the complex security environment we face, the execution of amphibious operations requires the use of the sea as maneuver space. A modern amphibious tracked vehicle is the means towards this end. It enables the seamless projection of ready-to-fight Marine rifle squads from sea to land. It is thus the key to allowing ship-to-shore operations in permissive, uncertain, and hostile environments; assuring access where infrastructure is destroyed or nonexistent; and creating joint access in defended areas. It is also central to the entire Marine tactical vehicle strategy for operations ashore. Once on land, an amphibious armored fighting vehicle provides the Marine rifle squad with the protected mobility and firepower to maneuver to a position of advantage to rapidly close with, engage, and defeat the enemy.
See the above.
The Marine Corps remains committed to develop and field an effective, survivable and affordable amphibious tracked vehicle. To bring this capability to the force sooner rather than later, we intend to capitalize on the Office of the Secretary of Defense’s recent efforts to streamline procurement and to rapidly accelerate the acquisition and contracting processes in developing our new amphibious tracked vehicle requirement.
Ya know what Sir! If you weren't ready to issue the RFI the day after this announcement then you're already late. The Air side is covered. Your ground forces are hurting. MRAPs are not IFVs. The AAV is not an IFV. The US Army has gone through the M-113, Bradley A1, A2 and A3 and now the Stryker! We've soldiered on with the AAV. You've got to get this together.
Shortly, we will issue a special notice to industry requesting information relative to supporting our required amphibious capabilities. We look forward to working with industry in meeting this challenge to field a modern and affordable amphibious tracked vehicle that will support our Nation’s needs.
WE NEED AN IFV! WE DON'T NEED THE IAR! SIR, GET IT TOGETHER SIR!
