Re-structuring the BCT

[GI Zhou]

A little off topic, but as you are talking reconnaisance, is a vehicle like the small and agile British Scimitar, able to defeat light armour and soft skin vehicles, a good reconnaissance vehicle on the battlefield. I ask this because the People's Liberation Army have at least trialled their ZDB03 airborne combat vehicle as a reconnaissance vehicle. Besides having a 30mm automatic cannon, it can squeeze four paratroopers with small arms only in a rear compartment.

[swerve1]

I would often deploy recon assets up to 24 hours prior to an operation. Of course, I had a static zone I was responsible for, but I think the idea is the same. On a more fluid battlefield where larger maneuver is the norm, recon at the company level may not be as important since it won't fight in a vacuum. I still think scouts at the BN and BCT are still necessary.

I also think aviation can play a critical role. The Army doesn't have too many helicopters, but they aren't employed in the most effective manner. I would argue that the Army should view ATK AVN in the same way the USMC views its air wings - as fire support platforms. But the Army should take it step further and consider them as an extension of reconnaissance and security forces as well.

This is a great topic.

[William F. Owen]

A little off topic, but as you are talking reconnaisance, is a vehicle like the small and agile British Scimitar, able to defeat light armour and soft skin vehicles, a good reconnaissance vehicle on the battlefield.

IMO, Scimitar is an abysmal recce vehicle. Spartan was far better. You could at least deploy 4 guys to actually clear corners, wood lines and ridges.

I would often deploy recon assets up to 24 hours prior to an operation.

What were you commanding and what were your recce assets?

I also think aviation can play a critical role. The Army doesn't have too many helicopters, but they aren't employed in the most effective manner. I would argue that the Army should view ATK AVN in the same way the USMC views its air wings - as fire support platforms. But the Army should take it step further and consider them as an extension of reconnaissance and security forces as well.

Concur, but I think the AVN community really needs to think long and hard about how to address this. The Aussies are using Tiger, in an Armed Reconnaissance Role, and I know there are some muttering about this.

This is a great topic.

There used to be more!

Personally, I think almost every aspect of reconnaissance needs scrutiny, because there is far too much hold over from horse mounted cavalry thinking, and almost nothing from men on horses can be read across into the proto-modern warfare.

[GI Zhou]

Bill,

Thank you for your reply. The ZDB03 was designed from the Russian BMD-3, and combines many of the features of the Spartan and Scimitar but no thermal imaging or small battlefield radars have been observed on this vehicle. They could of couse be shoehorned inside the vehicle.

[swerve1]

IMO, Scimitar is an abysmal recce vehicle. Spartan was far better. You could at least deploy 4 guys to actually clear corners, wood lines and ridges.

What were you commanding and what were your recce assets?

Concur, but I think the AVN community really needs to think long and hard about how to address this. The Aussies are using Tiger, in an Armed Reconnaissance Role, and I know there are some muttering about this.

There used to be more!

Personally, I think almost every aspect of reconnaissance needs scrutiny, because there is far too much hold over from horse mounted cavalry thinking, and almost nothing from men on horses can be read across into the proto-modern warfare.

I commanded a tank co/tm with 2 tank PLTs and 1 mech PLT. For recon, I would typically use either one of the BN sniper teams or a section from the BN SCT PLT. Sometimes a combination of both if necessary.