I was over at ELP Blog (can't wait to see the debate between him and Elements of Power Blog on the actual cost of the F-35...I'll start the fight if I have to but I want to get some real numbers and its outside my area) and realized that he linked to the Marine Corps budget.
I've read it several times already but followed the link anyway and it dawned on me.
The Amphibious Assault Vehicle is no longer called the AAV in official documents but instead has reverted to AAV7A1.
It might mean nothing but it might mean everything. Did the Congressional mandate to GAO to study the ACV concept doom it? Does the mandate mean additional delays to the ACV program. Did the Congressional mandate to the GAO also delay/kill the Marine Personnel Carrier Program?
If the answers to the above questions is yes then I think we might be looking at an AAV-7A2 as the only viable option left.
If I'm right then we're looking at almost 20 years of development to find a replacement for a vehicle that we end up simply refurbing/modernizing.
That would be pathetic.
