I was over at ELP Blog (can't wait to see the debate between him and Elements of Power Blog on the actual cost of the F-35...I'll start the fight if I have to but I want to get some real numbers and its outside my area) and realized that he linked to the Marine Corps budget.
I've read it several times already but followed the link anyway and it dawned on me.
The Amphibious Assault Vehicle is no longer called the AAV in official documents but instead has reverted to AAV7A1.
It might mean nothing but it might mean everything. Did the Congressional mandate to GAO to study the ACV concept doom it? Does the mandate mean additional delays to the ACV program. Did the Congressional mandate to the GAO also delay/kill the Marine Personnel Carrier Program?
If the answers to the above questions is yes then I think we might be looking at an AAV-7A2 as the only viable option left.
If I'm right then we're looking at almost 20 years of development to find a replacement for a vehicle that we end up simply refurbing/modernizing.
That would be pathetic.
You never know Solomon, they might start up a production line and build 'new' AAV-7A2s... in which case they might end up getting a system whereby the turrets are interchangeable with the Marine Personnel Carrier - or at least where components are.
ReplyDeleteanyway just trying to look for a bright side.
i can only hope. i've gotten word that they're trying to balance things out at HQMC so that they don't have to shed a large number of personnel in order to balance the books.
Deletethat's good. i can get behind that but the reality of things is totally different. the Obama administration signaled more things than people know in his defense speech last week.
the calm before the storm is now. he's about to rape the military to pay for social programs and to get the budget in shape. the Republicans don't give a damn about military readiness, they just want the budget in shape.
long story short i don't see anything good coming out of this. it drags on and its going to get down to a choice of simply upgrading and not building new vehicles unless our allies demand something tracked, amphibious and new.
Well Sol... why not start a campaign to get the allies to do just that? Write up the reasons for each ally as to why they would benefit from such a vehicle, and see if you can't get it co-sponsored by some blogs from each country... you never know you might just get the ball rolling...
ReplyDelete