U.S. Army in the Market for ‘Light’ Tanks

National Defense ^ | 10/7/2013 | Sandra I. Erwin

[SLB]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4L50eMI8gY

M551 LAPSE from a C130 gone wrong.

[Rockpile]

When I was a youngster we were at Ardmore AFB, Oklahoma. The wing there was dedicated to the 101 st Airborne Division and was the very first wing to get C130s I think.

My dad said he rode on City of Ardmore up to Langley one time—— something to do with maintenance and parts supply setup IIRC.

[big'ol_freeper]

RE: I thought the Stryker and other “fighting vehicles” were the light tanks of the infantry.

No. They are more like the light Bradleys of the infantry. Even the MGS is simply a bunker buster, not a anti-tank platform.

The tank they are talking about developing is for the Airborne type light units that couldn't use Stryker if they wanted to.

[Tailback]

Ping for later

[skinkinthegrass]

!

[Tailback]

The MGS is not air droppable from a C-130 thus not meeting specifications. That Doesn’t mean the manufacturer won’t give stock options to the CJCS and Secretary of the Army to change the specs.

The OBVIOUS LOGICAL solution is to adopt the M-8 AGS that had already been accepted and approved for production prior to Clinton and Shinseki having the program cancelled.

There is a Block II variant of the M-8 called the Thunderbolt that had hybrid diesel electric drive,a 120mm main gun, and was so space efficient that there was room for two dismounts and a rear hatch similar to the Merkava MBT. The Thunderbolt was so quiet on battery power, that a safety warning beeper was installed for when it was moving in the factory.

The Armor is upgradable in packages. Level I was the Air Drop configuration. Levels II and III could be added in theater to increase protection.

[Stonewall Jackson]

FYI

[Tailback]

I thought airborne as in parachutes was dead. As a general rule, the airborne assaults in WW II were not really successful.

There was no GPS in WWII. The paratrooper drops during D-day suffered from units being dropped nowhere near their target.

Parachute insertion still has its place in modern warfare. Especially regarding dropping Ranger Battalions on airfields to capture them and allow follow on forces to be inserted via C-17, C-5, or C-130. The problem with parachute insertion is a high level of non-combat casualties. 5-10% with sprained/broken ankles, knees, legs, etc...