Neither, really, the Stryker came from
Quote:
Originally Posted by
jcustis
Which expoerience was that...OIF, or Op Desert Storm?
RSTA squadron doctrine was already being published (with Strykers symbolized in the print vice Brads) as late as 2002.
pressure on the Army to 'modernize.' They talked about and tested tracks and wheels in 2000-2001 -- came up with tracks are better but there's nothing out there now (then) light enough. Solution: develop lighter tracks (FCS), buy an interim wheeled vehicle. It was acknowledged there were better wheel vehicles available than the Stryker but since this was an interim buy, the decision was made to go with the cheapest wheeled vehicle that had been judge adequate. Or in version 2, one of Shinseki's cronies went to work for General Dynamics which were in process of buying GM Canada, producer of the vehicle under license from Mowag of Switzerland (also later bought by GD...). Take your pick.
Iraq had nothing to do with the purchase of the Stryker.
A new study on squad sizes
Here is a note from DoD Defense Link to consider--11 Man squads?
Quote:
WASHINGTON, June 11, 2009 – The U.S. military is studying how to improve smaller-unit capabilities to better confront enemies who practice irregular or conventional warfare, or both, a senior U.S. military officer said here today.
The studies are part of U.S. Joint Forces Command’s National Program for Small Unit Excellence initiative, Army Maj. Gen. Jason K. Kamiya, chief of the Norfolk, Va.,-based command’s joint training directorate, and the commander of its Joint Warfighting Center, told reporters at a Pentagon roundtable meeting.
Senior U.S. military leaders believe that highly trained, smaller units would be better able to battle future foes that practice irregular warfare, Kamiya said, as well as enemies that wage hybrid warfare, a combination of irregular and conventional warfare.
An example of such squad-sized “super” units can be found in the special operations realm, Kamiya said, where the diverse and honed talents and capabilities of 11-member teams make them more powerful than some larger, conventional military units.
Everything old is new again?
Actually, the article made it sound like is wasn't so much about increasing the size of the rifle squad as it was about subdividing light infantry units into something akin to SF ODAs. At least that was my take on it.
Don't know if that's a good idea. Others more experienced than me can comment on that.