Hamas bagged another Namer Heavy APC. We need to rethink armor in urban combat..

 

Story here.

The Namer Heavy APC is the biggest APC/IFV currently in service. It's based on the Merkava IV MBT.  It weighs 64 freaking tons.

It is the pinnacle of apc development.

But a hybrid quasi national terrorist group was able to kill one.

Bad shit happens.  A one off wouldn't concern me.  But this is not a nation state force the IDF is facing.  While well equipped they're aren't as formidable as other forces in the region.

Long story short?  Hamas has found a vulnerability and they're exploiting it.

Which brings me to this.

We need to rethink armor in urban combat.  Looking for a role for unmanned ground vehicles?  This is it.  In the clustered and congested urban fight.  Wonder what those micro drones are actually good for?  The urban fight.  Operator driven if necessary but preferably AI operated.

Additionally its time to get the lawyers out of combat.  Lawyers in warfare is just plain terrible.  Sending Soldiers or Marines into cities to meet a law of warfare mandate instead of doing old fashion siege warfare is crazy.

If you're a civilian in a warzone my heart goes out to you but you're a victim.  Whether its from our side or the other you're a victim.  Whether you suffer from a bomb or bullet or starvation you're a victim.

May God forgive us but I'm just not for wasting American lives to meet an arbitrary mandate of "civilized" warfare.

*  Manned armor in urban setting is batshit crazy and a waste.

*  Sending Soldiers or Marines into urban centers to "clear out the enemy" is a waste of our treasured resources.  Siege warfare is a better way.

*  Unmanned ground vehicles and micro drones have found their reason for being in urban combat.  This is where they will shine.

Any questions?