I think we missed out on a great opportunity with the cancellation of the MPC.
Not only were we going to be able to select a wheeled amphibious personnel carrier that was either proven in combat or in testing but additionally, we missed the chance to standardize with the Army and become fully digitized.
Yeah.
We could finally do something joint that has teeth. We could leverage off Army architecture in the Stryker and fully integrate ourselves into mechanized combat.
Additionally, we missed out on savings for maintenance and could have finally gotten our infantry into proper armored protection.
Instead we're faced with continued vacillation and doubt about whether or not the Amphibious Combat Vehicle will be a high water speed variant or a product improved version of what we have now.
Bad times don't last and neither do design teams. The people from BAE and Lockheed Martin will soon go on to other projects. All the work done on these vehicles will be lost and even if we're able to afford them 10 years from now the institutional knowledge will be lost in those shops.
Are we so wedded to tracks that we couldn't see another way?
Are we so wedded to over the horizon assault that we can't see the gold sitting right in front of our faces?
It would appear we are. That's a shame. The EFV/ACV is now historic in its failure and in its length of development without product.
Chesty would be ashamed.
