800 grunts flown in?
30 artillery pieces?
Even a freaking grader to setup a runway for C-130's?
If the 101st was just a bit better when it comes to strategic mobility they'd be hell on "rotors".
Also note that the capability they demonstrated gives it the combat punch of an MEU...or maybe better. Much less ground mobility but definitely quite a bit of combat punch!
Budget wars.
Marines better keep an eye on the Army. They're coming at us sideways but they're definitely making a bid to become expeditionary. And that makes them direct competitors whether anyone says it openly or not.
What exactly qualifies the Marines as "expeditionary" that this doesn't also qualify?
ReplyDeleteThe ability of the formation to move and sustain itself organically. An ARG leaves its home port and takes it troops, equipment, and stores with it, and then can move to where it needed without recourse to other formations. Even a light formation need thousands of tons of stores for a month's active deployment.
DeleteSteven its what Steve said but make no mistake about it. the US Army is working on the logistics problem hard. additionally while the USMC has a head start in being tethered to the Navy, their is no reason why the Army can't do the same. add to it the USAF wanting to play more but having fewer transports than at anytime this decade and its inevitable.
DeleteSol, it's interesting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VC15iCMayv8&list=UUuqdsYT5rFqw0L5oO_HwvgA
ReplyDelete