Shinseki's light armored brigade DOES have its merit. BUT replacing
ALL HEAVY armor in the US Army?? Even the commander of the 82nd
Airborne shot him down, cos he knew that rapid deployment forces
needs to be followed up by tankers. Not mobile
coffins.
I think Gen. Shinseki's was talking about lightening both the
81st, 101 Airborne divisions and as well as the Marines. The core
of the Army will still retain the Abrams. Reason why the Airborne
divisions and the marines need lightening but with increase
firepower is due to the lesson learnt in Desert Storm. The Airborne
division and the Marines were facing Sadam's army with MBTs and all
they have got were a couple of HAMVEEs and M551s. They didn't match
up very well had Sadam been determine to march across the border
into Saudi. The army had M8 AGS in the pipeline but cancelled it.
Shinseki's idea was to resurrect the light mobile fighting force
that can put some tonnes and firepower quickly. Given at that point
in time when he had this idea, the Clinton administration wanted
the US armed forces to be able to fight two major wars around the
globe, and thus create the necessity to have mobile forces. Waiting
for the US supply ships to bring Abrams and Bradleys between two
different parts of the world in two different theater of wars will
not cut it. Before the Abrams and Bradleys arrive from 1 theater to
another, US forces may have already been run over by a far superior
force.
[quote]
Let us not end up in a difficult position when we realise that
somewhere out there, in some point of time, we can't exploit a
situation, bust down a stone wall or stand firmly simply because we
don't have the equipment to do so. A 40 ton tank will bust
down a stone wall no problem. Even a 20 ton tank will do that no
sweat. Don't forget one thing though, we might get Leo2, but the
man portable ATGMs might just effectively make them useless in
FIBUA. Just disable the tracks in a small alley, get a few sucide
soldiers to run unto the turret and drop a hand grenade...
hee hee... maybe I watch too much movies...
my 2 cents,
Joe
"What's the difference between a citizen and a civilian?"