Why the MRAP Is Worth the Money
A short article in Foreign Affairs, which ends:
Quote:
Indeed, even if the United States drove all its MRAPs lemming-like into the Euphrates upon departing Iraq, the vehicles still would have been a bargain, not a boondoggle.
Link:http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articl...oney?page=show
This should have been a post for the "MRAP JLTV concept of infantry mobility" ...
...thread but someone closed it:( I'll post it here anyway (it won't quite sound/feel right but what the what).
Now, regardless of what you may all think about the “great” Mike Sparks/Sparky, I always found his concept of “battle-boxes” quite intriguing (nay, sensible?). Looks like someone else has too! Specifically KMW’s Heavily-protected personnel transport. I actually prefer the idea of these than the MRAP fetish now gripping the world’s militaries. I can’t see why an entire battalion couldn’t mount up in these on heavy trucks the logistics chaps would have anyway and be transported into their AO or a friendly rear (;)). Once there the Battalion would mount up in an APC Squadron/Regiment for movement over the line of departure. Given any army worth its salt would already have heavy 8x8 trucks in its transportation/distribution companies the only real costs would be the actual containers themselves. Furthermore, although I can’t fathom it from the limited literature available currently, Bn’s could be administratively moved by train without needing to debuss from the containers given they seem to be of standard ISO size and could simply be mounted on rail cars. At the rear area RV the containers (plus troops) would simply be lifted onto waiting trucks and “shipped” to their respective formation rear areas where (separate) APC battalions would be waiting for actual combat (did I repeat myself?! I can’t wait to tell my ex :rolleyes:).
A limited one time offer...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
B.Smitty
Six M1152s at GVW weigh around 33 tonnes. That's the same as two Strykers, or half the weight of a Stryker platoon's vehicles.
Assuming a generous $200k per M1152, you could outfit an entire company with them for the price of one Stryker ICV ($3.8M).
... for hard up recession hit armies. If you buy our bog-standard light troop carrier in preference to one from our competitors for your "Toyota Horde" (hat tip to old Wilf) then we'll outfit your vehicle in a number of snazzy colours (unfortunately, due to customer demand, periwinkle blue is no longer avaliable!):D / ;)