I found these while surfing the web.
We're getting a small look at GD's pitch to the US Army. Even if they fail to win the AMPV project. Even if they fail to win the GCV project. Upgrading the US Army and Marine Corps M1 Abrams with diesel engines would be a nice, long term project to keep them busy for a few years.
That alone would be impressive, but they've taken it a step further. If you click here, it'll take you to a website called "A leaner, more agile ABCT (Armored Brigade Combat Team)" and it has a calculator that shows all the savings possible if the Army follows GD's advice. In light of the budget issues we're facing its a real nice pitch.
GD land is the revolving door of Army Generals. That is how the corrupt Stryker got started. The only way to improve a Brigade that has Strykers is to remove the Strykers. Good thing for a diesel powered M-1. That is a step in the right direction. It doesn't fix all the M-1 flaws but it is a start. I would rather see a new-design diesel main battle tank.
ReplyDeletethe cash isn't there Eric.
ReplyDeleteArmy needs to pay for their F-35s :)
Well, the Army should've bought diesel-powered Abrams thirty years ago.
ReplyDeleteHaving deployed in Strykers, I'd say they are a damn good vehicle. On par with pretty much every other wheeled armored personnel carrier out there.
ReplyDeleteWhat GDLS is really lobbying for is the Stryker to replace the Bradley in the ABCT formation. The Stryker + Track option was displayed a few years ago, but that is stupid because you already have 7 Stryker Brigades with wheels (and therefore commonality). It would take a lot of analysis to show that going half tracked/half wheeled would actually save money in the total Army budget.
The most cost per mile savings by the GDLS calculator is going with a diesel engine Abrams and a standard Stryker Double V Hull infantry carrier. I'd say upgrade the ATGM variant strykers with a 25mm RWS (like the Italian Centauro) and leave the MGS 105mm system to the pure SBCTs. This gives the same "punch" as the Bradley in terms of combined arms firepower (seriously, when was the last time a Brad fired a TOW at anything?) and maintains an organic 9 man dismount squad per vehicle. This is quite a lot like the Stryker/Abrams units that were formed in Iraq on an ad hoc basis. The Abrams provided punch, the Strykers provided boots on ground, and it was very successful in a high intensity conflict.