The M1 Abrams: The Army Tank That Could Not Be Stopped

[Compost]

http://www.cpbj.com/article/20141006...-Army-contract

Rebuilding another 53 M88A1 ARVs into M88A2 ARVs for $153.6M means BAE/BMY will continue in the heavy armoured vehicle business. But the same result could have been achieved by having BAE convert surplus Abrams MBTs into ARVs with the 120mm turret replaced by a jib crane and winch arrangements.

The A-frame lifting device of the M88 ARV is better suited to static usage such as in construction and mining rather than manoeuvre and military operations. It is already common for military mechanics to use a self propelled jib crane for accurate and rapid changeout of an engine or turret instead of the slow and less accurate manoeuvring of an A-frame equipped M88. Provision of an Abrams ARV with jib-crane would enable US Army and USMC planners and managers to concentrate on variants of that chassis and to competitively procure engine (GT and/or diesel), driveline and running gear spares from GD, BAE and subcontractors while using warehoused and cannibalized M88 engines etc to maintain gradually reducing numbers of A1 and A2 vehicles.

Moving forward it would be useful to learn if and how the experience and candid comment of US Army and USMC mechanics was factored into the procurement process.