Above you see an advertisement of the Paramount Group's new IFV called the Mbombe.
Yes it has MRAP type protection.
Yes it mounts a high powered remote controlled cannon.
Yes it carries a full infantry section.
Yes its almost as long as a bus!
Tracked vehicles are more compact, and there is no longer a weight advantage with wheels. The worm has turned and tracks are many times lighter.
If by chance the legacy M-113 could be updated to be mine protected, retain its amphibious ability (lost in the later iterations of it) and still be able to keep up with M1 Abrams then it would be the perfect vehicle.
Somehow we've gotten stuck on a false limb of vehicle development.
Armored Cars are not IFVs and thats what Wheeled IFVs actually are.
Armored Cars with improved weapons and armor.
Was there ever a major weight advantage with wheels? The tracked M113 is actually lighter than the 6x6 Pandur, while offering similar protection and payload.
ReplyDeleteI think the advantage was always less rolling resistance, which translates to higher speed in certain terrain, greater fuel economy, less vibration, and so on. There are also maintenance advantages.
Tracked vehicles have always been more compact.
i read it differently then.
ReplyDeletei agree with everyone of your points except perhaps the vibration and maintenance advantages with wheels.
what has me furious is that HQ Marine Corps has stated that the MPC will be an 8x8 wheeled vehicle and hasn't explained the rationale.
Sounds like they have Stryker-envy. (though the LAV-25 has served them well)
ReplyDeleteUSMC LAV-25s are armored recon vehicles - an amphibious armored car with a lot of firepower.
ReplyDeleteMPC program might be trying to do too much, what works well for armored recon might not work as a personnel carrier.
Nevertheless MRAPs are massive, much larger than any 8x8 wheeled armor.
have you seen what the Israelis have done with the old M113 and how they took old tanks and converted them to IFVs?
ReplyDeleteHQS MC often looks backward instead of ahead?
the isrealis did take old tanks and made them into APCs, they took their tank chassis and changed it.
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namer_%28vehicle%29
B. Smitty,
ReplyDeletei think you're exactly right. i'm starting to see alot of US Army envy creeping into the Marine Corps and i hate it. time to return to being unique, frugal and efficient.
Leesea and Joe,
i got your e-mail and was aware of the modded M-113. i still think the Marine Corps should consider them...BAE has done good work with modifications of older vehicles and they have the contract on the legacy vehicles...basically i'm saying that we can buy new versions of an old vehicle that bring it up to todays standards for a song.
I agree "Better is the enemy of good enough"~
ReplyDeleteBTW the banner photos are great, another helo flying now versus gee-whix bird, AND something the USN needs to look at more closely regardless of its origin
ReplyDeletegood point on the helo.
ReplyDeletethe SH-60 seems to be too small for whats going on today...definitely time to size up.