2nd LAR participates in West Coast DFT ...pics by Pfc. Nicholas Guevara, plus my speculation on the next gen LAV...

Have you been following the talk of what the next gen LAV will have included?

I've seen talk of stuffing UAVs, electronic warfare, cyber warfare and advanced sensors (could they finally be thinking of getting a mast for the thing?).

My thoughts?

That's a real tall order.

They want to basically back door an electronic warfare vehicle into service but they want to do it on the back of LAR so they can "build on what we have" instead of developing new capabilities.

The problem?

LAR won't be LAR anymore.

With those new  toys it will morph into something different.

Of course that is in keeping with the thinking coming out of HQMC.  Close Air no longer requires a gun and can be conducted from 15K feet.  Scouting and screening will also have a different look I guess.

Even if you have no problem with the concept then you have to wonder how they'll stuff all that on vehicles.

Questions that have to be asked.

Will this rig need to float?  Do we want to lift it by CH-53?  Are we willing to break up the modules and have mission specific variants inside the LAR Bn?

This means a choice of two vehicles.

Either you slap a 30mm cannon on the JLTV, up armor it slightly and have a UAV, Electronic Warfare and Cyber Warfare variant (as well as traditional scout vehicles) or you use the upcoming Amphibious Combat Vehicle winner and put it all inside of each vehicle.

If you want it to fly and don't mind splitting up tasks then the JLTV wins. If you need it to float and want it under one roof then the ACV takes it.

Either way I believe the LAV is the last of its line.

There will be no more lightweight 8x8s in service anywhere.

Bigger is better is the new hotness...