Note: When I see this I cheer and groan at the same time. I believe in the utility of the mechanized raid...especially from the sea, but the lack of heavy armor in the form of M1 Abrams tanks, the lack of a replacement for the AAV (or significant upgrades of that vehicle) coupled with the lack of a dedicated 120mm mortar carrying vehicle (like we see on the US Army's Strykers) points me to one undeniable conclusion. We can do this better.
You're right, a 120mm mortar vehicle and some AA platform is exactly whats missing in these pictures. And we can actually learn from the Israelis for the mortar bit, rather than spending millions on a new premium vehicle platform modifying it for mortar carrier, the israelies are still using WW2 halftracks and old obsolete tanks as mortar carriers. A recent study astually showed a couple of thousand halftracks still in servise with them. Those things might be useless in an MRAP way but just see their utility as auxillary weapons.
ReplyDeleteHere is a modern 120 mm mortar vehicle:
Deletehttp://youtu.be/Qln3hVoe8qA
Two fit INSIDE a CH-53E!
Oh s... NIH!
And if not that, there is always a friendly merkava on hand with its own light mortar..............and a gun, and machineguns. And that big storage hold in the tank holding Infinite....yes Infinite ammo. I mean, the tank loader will have to work in shifts to get that ammo fully expended. Overtime.
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