The good. Textron recently had its family day near New Orleans and rolled out some of its products to help commemorate the event. In the lineup we see a fire support version of its Commando Family of Vehicles.
The bad. I wrote the company about this version, and the response was that they had no info that they could provide.
The ugly. What is it with the secrecy surrounding the armored vehicle market? I don't get it.
Solomon, I think their reluctance to speak with you is because you are 1 guy. You are not an emissary of a government looking for vehicles, or a foreign officer looking at the latest gear.
ReplyDeleteSo,.some PR person is covering their ass.
i get that but compare the F-35 to the Marine Personnel Carrier program. how is the much criticized F-35 surviving despite its critics? by its supporters, a very vocal Marine Corps and a very effective outreach to small frys like me. which one is thriving and which one although much needed is about to be formally killed?
DeleteI think the Corps getting the MPC makes it still look like another land force like the Army. I know it will be used differently then the M2s, etc but it is Stryker like and the question becomes why does the Corps need it? The F-35 will not fail because of the other countries involved and the fact there is no back-up plan. Also, there seems to be a very large market for APCs, but not fighter aircraft - especially one like the F-35. I expect the F-22 and F-35 to be used as C2 platforms for drones. I've read that what really sets the F-22 and F-35 apart from other aircraft in the world is not the weapon systems, but the radar and comms. Both can see the bad guys way before they see us.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you in that I am not an Amos fan. He was obviously picked to be Commandant because he was not a ground pounder so in theory he is more "cultured". Also, I believe he was picked because of the repeal of DADT and the whole woman in combat thing. What does he care, he didn't hump a ruck. He got along just fine with woman in the airwing - no heavy lifting. He is exactly what the Obama administration wanted. General Mattis scared the crap out of them - too much of a warrior.
It's a very crowded market. M113 variants, Stryker series, LAV series, various Euro designs. And the Tech required is low enough that license building is feasible in most places.
ReplyDeleteSo the main threat is that a competitor could offer a better deal. Hence, secrecy.
Compare to the fast warplane market. Few designs, fewer sellers. License building is a lot harder, which limits foreign sales to protectionist countries. And political factors are at least equal of engineering in the competitions (otherwise half of europe would be flying Su-35). Main threat is a buy being cancelled because of price and performance concerns, not outside competition. So a lot more info given out, mostly to (prospective) buyers, but info tends to spread once released.