The American Contender in he Army's Mobile Combat Vehicle Tests

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Hard Ball

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The American Contender in the Army's Mobile Combat Vehicle Tests is the United Defense the Xm8 Armored Gun System.
The Xm8 is a 19 ton full tracked vehiclr (essentially a light takl which mounts a 105mm gun capable of fiting all US/Nato 105mm gun ammunition. It has a road speed of 45 mph and can be air dropped. It has an autoloader carrying 21 rounds of 105mm ammunition, Additional rounds are stored in the hull.
It has a day/night infrared sight with a laser range finder giving a high first shot hit capability.
The Xm8 was killed by the Clinton administration in 1996 as "not affordable>" Six prototypes were complted before the program was cancelled and these vehicles have done very well in Army tests.
The Xm8 and the Italian Centauro appear to br the front runners for selection as the Mobile Gun vehicle.

[This message has been edited by Hard Ball (edited September 14, 2000).]
 
Love that air drop capability on a 38,000 pounder. Long time ago it was deemed necessairy to drop a tracked vehicle. Drop was made in two sections. Tracks in one lump and rest of it in the other. To this day I don't think anybody found the tracks.

I love payin my taxes, cause I know each and every penny will be put to good use.

That French rig will probably win and may be a maintenance nightmare but at least it will cost more.

Sam
 
"That French rig will probably win and may be a maintenance nightmare but at least it will cost more."

LOL Absolutely. I heard they stopped buying the $600 hammers for a while but they're at it again. Meanwhile servicemen are underpaid.

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"Get yourself a Lorcin and lose that nickel plated sissy pistol."
 
Interesting article about this general topic in the "US news and world report" this week. US Army is war gaming this light weight stuff vs Bosnia and Korea scenarios. Just from what I was reading they got there ass handed to them unless they had beucoup air and arty support and flawless intel. Something like a 1:1 loss ratio. Didn't we do that against the Germans in WWII? This is dumb, because we have no air lift capability anymore (because the Air Farce spends their bucks on sexy ATF's, not boring cargo haulers) The Army has to s-can it's heavy tanks (we went throught this transport issue in WWII also, and we didn't have Pershings over there til damn near the end of the war and in the meantime Shermans burned) because the Airfarce is FUBAR? This seems like lowering the standards because you don't want to train to meet them, doesn't it? Yes, you need a fast react force to get there in a hurry, but once you're there you have to be more than a speed bump(82nd Airborne). This is so dumb! And after we take 10,000+ dead, burned to death in their LAV's, the staff idiots will slap their heads and go "doh!" S/F...Ken
 
Yeah, I know. The maxim "amatuers study tactics, and professionals study logistics" has merit. But you can not let the staff and transport nerds dictate what the combat troops have to fight with. The transport nerds are there to support the warriors, NOT vice versa. If it was up to the supply weasels, they'd issue slingshots, and tell you to pick up rocks for ammo. Can you tell I have issues with supply? S/F...Ken
 
EchoFiveMIke,
There are very few shining stars in the logistics area. Why? Supply is made of a bunch of different officer corps. Quatermaster, Transportation, Medical Service, Chemical and some from aviation. They ought to all be Quatermasters. Plus I miss the old S&T battlions.

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Shop Smart! Shop S-Mart**** That's right I'm a gear whore and proud of it***
 
It looks like one point has been settled. The Army seems to have decided that their mobile gun has to mount a 105mm gun capable of firing NATO 105mm ammunition.
Now ithas to decide on a tracked vehicle or a wheeled vehicle. It will be interesting to see which way they go.
 
Personal opinion? All these armoured fighting vehicles suck. There are no spikes on any of them... Where do you pike the skulls of your fallen enemy if you dont have your ride covered in 2 foot spikes?
 
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