Australian Boxer Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle capability pushed to the limit...are we seeing the iron triangle being re-arranged?

 

Circling back to this video because after watching it again something became obvious.

There was a quick...real quick nod to its mobility.  Tanks are the benchmark for mobility across broken ground and it was stated that this vehicle can keep up.

Then the focus was mostly on the digital part of the spectrum.  Especially situational awareness.

I found that stunning.

Are we seeing a new era where protection, firepower & situational awareness have replaced mobility?

I tend to think so.

I use the current crop of IFVs (tracked and wheeled) as examples.

The Namera, Eitan (the top two in their class by my estimation), along with the Lynx, Boxer, AS21, CV90, VBCI, Jaguar, and others all have "adequate" mobility.  Outside of the CV90 I don't see one that has what I would call blistering mobility.

But as we can see the Australian contest and what's brewing with the US Army's contest, it would appear that situational awareness is now paramount.

Shoot first, kil first is everything.

Potential stowed kills mean nothing if (1) you can't hit what you see and (2) you see them after they see you.

My prediction?

Armor values will go down in future vehicles.  Armor isn't enough to protect and anti-missile tech just ain't quite there (despite the push to mount them on vehicles).

I think we'll see more situational awareness.  Bigger guns.  Attempts to increase mobility (I'm thinking tracks will return in a big way...across the board) and a new acknowledgement that what we've been doing is in essence building E100's to accomplish strategic mobility missions.