Stryker Vehicles deploy to Iraq.

[Chemical Ollie]

RPG fodder, surely, but is it really less armoured than the Hummer?

[Az]

I doubt that. It's still a POS. ( MtG convinced me of that. )

[CerberusIV]

Originally posted by Case
BTW CerberusIV, the LAV - an earlier version of the Stryker - makes up the most capable APCs used by the Marines. Their other type of APC (the AAV-7) is amphbious and is the size of the bus, as fast as a bus, and has only marginally more armour then a bus

I know about the AAV-7. The Argentinians used them in the Falklands IIRC. The defending Royal Marines hit one with a LAW and didn't see anyone get out afterwards...

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by MichaeltheGreat


1AD has five line battalions of M2 IFV's, so that alone gives them as many 11-Mikes (mechanized infantryman) as the 505 PIR/3 Bde 82ABD has 11-Bravos (light infantry). Add the M2 vehicle crews (who provide the squad leader and squad heavy weapons capability) as dismounts, and before you even get into the tankers, cav scouts and artillery vehicle crews, 1AD has more mechanized infantry in the field than all infantry MOS combined in the 505 PIR/3 Bde.

That doesn't count all the rest of the pseudo-infantry, who are taking a lot of menial base security and patrol heat off the real infantry elements of the division.

As far as what 82ABD's capabilities are, 505 PIR/3 Bde plus Div H&HC elements moved in to replace 3ID, which has over four times the personnel, and more than 150% of the trained infantry.

325 AIR /1 Bde of 82ABD is operating separately from 505 PIR/3 Bde, but even if you combine the two, 1AD still has almost as many infantry MOS's, plus the additional non-infantry types being used as pseudo-infantry.

So youre saying 82nd's problem is simply not enough infantry? But Baghdad has a far large population than Fallujah(even including nearby towns and villages) . That should balance out.

[Dinner]

Originally posted by MichaeltheGreat
Oh, except for ****ing over those Airborne *******s with their berets and jump boots and bloused trouser legs.

HEY!

My beret and jump boots look very nice, thank you.

[Dinner]

Wheeled vehicles have their place just as tracked vehicles have their place. I've noticed that most of Europe's Armies, both east and west, have wheeled vehicles in service because they are cheaper and more suited for the mission of peace keeping which is what most of their militaries are used for. True, in a stand up fight the wheeled vehicle will get stomped on by a proper treaded military combat vehicle but for many, if not most, jobs an eight wheeled vehicle will work just fine.

That said I really don't think the Army needs both and MtG is right about the tremendous waste which occurs in the military procurement process. I honestly feel they should be forced to fully care for and maintian their existing equipment before one red cent is used to acuire new toys. Other wise you get the current situation where the military constently is robbing the soldiers of equipment and supplies so some chairborne office can pay for his useless pet project just so he can get promoted.