via Aviation Week.
By Michael FabeyAn RFP for a new amphibious combat vehicle in early 2014? BULLSHIT! They've lied before and they're lying now. The reality is simple. The AAV will be upgraded and redesignated an amphibious combat vehicle and that will be the vehicle this pathetic, feminine, incompetent Commandant drives.
The U.S. Marine Corps will probably issue a request for proposals (RFP) for its amphibious combat vehicle (ACV) in early 2014, says Gen. James Amos, Corps commandant.
“That program is alive,” Amos said June 26 during a discussion roundtable with media.
The Marine Corps has secured and saved a “moderate amount” of money for early program development, he says.
The ACV is the proposed successor to the Marines Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV) program that was halted because the vehicle, which takes Marines from ships to shore and also serves as a combat platform, proved too expensive.
“We’ve really been working this,” Amos says. The Corps has been trying to reach the right kind of trade-off between requirements and cost for the platform, which the service considers to be vital to its expeditionary nature.
“What do you really need,” Amos asks rhetorically. “We’re only going to get one bite at this apple. I don’t want to mess this up.”
The Marines, he notes, have been working with contractors to see which type of vehicle would meet requirements without proving too costly.
The Marines need something akin to a pickup truck, he says, not a high-end sport utility vehicle
Cost is another concern for the joint light tactical vehicle (JLTV) program, Amos says.
“The JLTV is moving along,” Amos says. “I need them. I like them. But I keep telling people, keep the cost down or I’m not buying them.”
It would be funny if it wasn't so sad.
Late Addition: USMC 0802 will say that I'm being too hard on Amos but I disagree. He has led the USMC straight into a sea of confusion. Leadership is second guessing itself...when you have a Command relieved because of an accident on the firing line in Vegas, but no punishment happen to individuals that were leading in Afghanistan when the enemy succeeded in knocking out a Marine Squadron then I'd be second guessing myself too. Amos has thrown away Marine Corps doctrine to kiss SOCOM ass and relegated Conventional Marine Forces to a supporting role for MARSOC, he has supported integrating women into combat units and lied to Marines by telling him that standards won't be lowered when he knows full well that he is going to do exactly that...Amos is pathetic. I'm glad to see loyalty but in this case I think it will be misplaced loyalty. One other thing. Notice the SgtMajor of the Marine Corps has been real low profile lately? Yeah. He knows the natives are restless.
From my lowly position what I can see is that the entire DOD desperately needs to rebaseline itself and ask "What is our mission?"
ReplyDeleteAs for the AAV itself if they are now talking about an entirely new driveline, suspension, turret and comm suite, is is really that much easier to limit yourself to the old hull vs. designing a new one? Goes back to my arguement with the JLTV, if you are going to upgrade everything why limit yourself? Why not just set out a realistic requirements and timeline for the new vehicle?
DoD rebaselining? agreed. i haven't heard a thing about a new driveline, suspension, turret and comm suite.
Deletethe only thing i've read are protection improvements...blast seats, spall liners and a few other things. the only person that has something out is Qinetiq N. America.
My bad that was from an older post on aviation week talking about how we were shopping around for upgrades to the current AAV with BAE offering to upgrade everything up to an including an unmanned 20-30mm turret. Probably just marketing fluff.
DeleteTo use the Commandant's example of the F-150. If Ford had limited themsleves to only upgrading the suspension and driveline of the 72 F-150 there is now way it would be as good as the 2013.
ReplyDelete