tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post4124124967128210296..comments2024-02-29T11:45:01.870+01:00Comments on UK Armed Forces Commentary: Strike Brigades? Only if the price is right. Gabrielehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01623558391676151582noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-77155286702627190242016-11-21T14:51:51.616+01:002016-11-21T14:51:51.616+01:00You may already be aware of this, but mentioned on...You may already be aware of this, but mentioned on PPruNe:<br /><br />A cost (Future carrier including costs) is the redistribution of Naval Service manpower away from RM to RN by approx 600. 43 Cdo to reduce to core Scottish and special escort roles and 42 Cdo to 'rerole' (i.e. no longer to be a full Cdo like 40 or 45) to undertake Fleet protection. So 3 Cdo Bde down to 2 x manoeuvre units. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-26241453944111414872016-11-03T19:08:22.744+01:002016-11-03T19:08:22.744+01:00At last there's some movement on the Challenge...At last there's some movement on the Challenger Life Extension Programme with two groups shortlisted for the assessment phase - one lead by BAE and one by Rheinmetall. See [url]http://www.defensenews.com/articles/field-narrows-for-uk-battle-tank-modernization[/url] for more.<br /><br />Most intriguing are the comments from Rheinmetall that their proposal could include the 120mm L55 smooth bore developed very successfully for the Leopard 2 MBT which would open up a marked improvement in lethality and effectively lead to a Challenger 3 standard.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-57407224315213494062016-10-27T18:02:31.205+02:002016-10-27T18:02:31.205+02:00So now we have the structure of 2 armoured Brigade...So now we have the structure of 2 armoured Brigades and 2 Strike Brigades what do we need "new" using the £5bn earmarked for the MIV 8x8. Well as I have said we need<br />1, Upgrade properly CR2 we own them, lets keep them current.<br />2, Reuse the CR2's in storage as CR2 IFV for 2 Battalions.<br />3, 120 ish 8x8 / 6x6 Wheeled anti tank, direct gun fire vehicle.<br />4, We need to purchase armoured boxed anti Tank and Anti Air Missiles. These can be fitted to existing Vehicles such as non turreted Warriors, Mastiffs, flatbed Husky etc etc. We are also buying some over watch SV vehicles as well. With the reduction of only 2 Armoured Reconnaissance Regiments we could tweek the Ajax purchase to fit.<br />5. Artillery. We urgently need to upgrade the AS90's/GMLRS. We also need to truck mount the 105mm light gun for the 2 Strike Brigades and look at some fancy ammunition (rocket assisted etc) to make those things useful. They are not heavy and would fit on a Husky type chassis, using remote hydraulic spades to be self deployable providing the crews with some light armour protection rather than towing them in no protection 6x6's as we do now. <br />6. Finally we have to put the Jackals were they are needed in the expeditionary formation with the Marines and Para's etc. They are no use and are under gunned to operate in Europe. They are OK in hot dusty places, but a 12.5mm machine gun does not cut it against troops at least equipped with 30mm IFV/APC's in Europe even old Russian ones. Size matters. They are good at replacing WMIK Land Rovers etc.<br />So that's how I would square the circle. That leaves a light expeditionary force to come up with and the rest of the Army Structure. Maybe for tomorrow. <br />The Ginge Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-82827837097896828112016-10-27T17:49:28.628+02:002016-10-27T17:49:28.628+02:00So the so called Strike Brigades. Why do we need t...So the so called Strike Brigades. Why do we need them ? The fact is the Army has realised that getting heavy armour from the UK to Europe is going to be a nightmare, secondly that they are not going to allowed to take tracks to places like Afghanistan or UK equivalent of Malawi. So what we need is a road deployable over 1,000 miles, can fight either insurgents (Taliban, Isis etc) as well as provide a meaningful counter to a Peer to Peer enemy. Since this is going to be a light force it will rely on firepower from Anti-Tank and Anti-Armour Missiles based on vehicles. The first rule has to be wheels go with wheels, Ajax and variants have no place in this force. Neither does any tracked support vehicles. <br />So how is this to be formed? Well the first question is do we need now a new 8x8, which is lightly armed and with light protection. My answer is no, we have Mastiff, Couger, Ridgeback, Wolfhound and Foxhound, Husky, Panther. They should all be grouped together to form the core vehicles for the strike brigades as they are all wheeled. At the moment we have 3 Battalions in mastiffs, 4 in various 4x4 armoured trucks as Light Protected Infantry. That is more than enough to form 2 brigades based on the following<br />1x Wheel Based 120mm smooth bore gunned tank killer regiment.<br />1x Wheel Based Reconnaissance Regiment based on a Husky etc 4x4 with a 30mm (As per the USA using Apache Remote Gun Stations).<br />2x Mastiff Based Mechanised Infantry, with a proportion of Mastiffs provided with the 30mm Gun System.<br />3x Light Protected Infantry Battalion<br />These would be formed from the following existing Battalions. <br />51st Div would be formed from<br />Wheeled Tank Regiment The Royal Scots Dragon Guards returning to a tank role based in Leuchars (no Move)<br />Cavalry Regiment Light Dragon Guards based in Caterick (no move) swapping from Jackal to protected Panther/Husky etc mounting 30mm weapons.<br />4th Batt The Royal Regiment of Scotland using there existing Mastiffs based in Caterick.<br />The Royal Highland Fusiliers moving to a new Mastiff base.<br />3rd Riffles and 3rd Batt Royal Reg of Scotland & 2nd Batt Yorks as Light Protected 4x4 vehicles. These regiments would be augmented by Missiles, Milan Systems, Anti Air mounted on Trailers etc embedded within them. IE a true hard hitting mobile protected infantry. <br />The same structure would then be for the 7th Brigade which would have <br />Wheeled Tank Regiment The Queens Royal Hussars in Tidworth (no Move) transiting from CR2.<br />1st The Queens Dragoon Guards based in Swanton Morely Based on 30mm Mounted 4x4.<br />The 1st Batt Royal Anglians moving from light infantry to Mastiff Based.<br />4th Riffles Mastiff based staying at Aldershot.<br />Light Protected of 2nd Batt Royal Anglians, 1st Batt Royal Irish and 1st Batt Welsh Guards all in existing locations. <br />This would be supported by 51st getting 102 Logistics brigade etc and 7th using the resources of the 3rd support element from 20 Armoured Brigade moved to wheeled vehicles. <br />This leaves the 1st The Light Dragoons to inherit all the jackals to provide 3 squadrons to support the Marines, Para’s and a 3rd light Brigade in a true purple Division to provide expeditionary forces. More of that latter in part 3. The non purchase of the 8x8 should have £5bn, to provide for upgrades to existing Armour and any other vehicle costs including about 120 8x8 / 6x6 120mm wheeled direct fire support vehicle. The only “new” vehicle but I would suggest looking at a working moving vehicle to reduce purchase risk. <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-31475497341578667002016-10-27T17:05:39.135+02:002016-10-27T17:05:39.135+02:00So we know where we are, the question is how do we...So we know where we are, the question is how do we get what we want within the means of what we have. If we take the constraints of a 82,000 Army and Budget as is. So I suggest :<br />1. The Armoured Division. The simple fact is that we need to have an Armoured Div, to my mind that is 3rd Division as is, but as we’re short of manpower and equipment. To square that circle we lose 1 Brigade. This will be made up of 1st & 12th Armoured Battalions based on a regiment each of 84 split in HQ Squadron of 3 x CR2, Squadrons A, B, C will also have a 3 x CR2 HQ attachment and 24 x CR2 to each Battlegroup based on each Armoured Infantry Battalion. So each Battlegroup will have 27 CR2s. Each Brigade will have 1 Reconnaissance Brigade using Ajax in the existing Regimental Structure. These will be the Household Cavalry and the Royal Lancers (Royal Lancers moving to Tidworth taking the space of the Queens Royal Hussars (more of them later)) so that all armour is in and around Salisbury Plain. You will have 4 Armoured Infantry Regiments Mounted on Turreted or non-Turreted Warrior (i.e. don’t throw out the other 250 odd Warriors when you do the slep) plus extra Ajax and other variants of Scout SV being purchased by saving 1 armoured cavalry unit. To remove all FV series vehicles from the armoured Division. This is where it now gets a little difficult, we know from experience in Israel and Ukraine that heavy Armoured Infantry are essential. So 2 Infantry Battalions would be equipped on rebuilt CR2 chassis as IFV with a modified Turret to carry a Driver, Gunner/Commander in the Front of the vehicle (30mm Remote weapon system), plus 8 Dismounts, with Rear dismount location. Yes it’s a bodge, but we are losing 1 whole Tank Regiment if not the vehicles, let’s reuse the vehicles we have in storage. CR2 and CR2 IFV to get a full slep, including updated smooth bore Gun System. That is about 400 CR2’s so a budget saving has to come from somewhere. So that is 6 Battle Groups. I would like to see a 3rd “Reserve” Battalion formed using FV Series armour based reserve infantry and the Royal Wessex Yeomanry, plus CRT raised reserve Armoured infantry. Not ideal again but in times of all out war can be activated. An encouragement to take the reserves away from the deployed every 5yrs disaster of Army 2020, return it to the deployed only in times of must that the Reserve always was and which people can work around civilian life. <br />2. How does that look like. So that would be 1st Armoured Brigade of Household Cav Ajax Mounted, 84 CR2’s in Royal Tank Regiment, 1st Batt PWRR CR2 IFV mounted, 1st Batt Mercians Warrior, 1st Batt Fusiliers Warrior Mounted. 12th Armoured on the same basis with The Royal Lancers Ajax, The Kings Royal Hussars CR2, 1st Batt Scotts Guards Reg CR2 IFV, 1st Batt Royal Welsh Warrior, 1st Battalion Yorks Warrior. <br />3. What Support Elements. You have 101 Logistics Brigade made up of 2 active elements argmented where necessary to replace the recent losses. You make sure all the heavy transported and tracked bridge layers etc with personnel are in those regiments. IE you give enough support to the 2 active Armoured Brigades from all of the support command. Artillery. You keep the same number of AS90’s & GMLS but they are brought over in 2 regimental blocks to support and be attached to each Armoured Brigade. The reserve AS90’s and Reserve GMLS are then assigned to 20 Brigade Reserve Armoured Brigade. You upgrade both systems to extend range to out gun or be comparable with Russian Artillery and Rockets. <br />4. Eat some Humble Pie. In view of the increased risk in Europe you reverse the SDR2010 idea and either keep 1 Brigade in Germany or Poland/Baltics so as to concentrate your heavy transport facilities in the UK. A 3 year rotation between 1 & 12 Brigades. The simplicity is you keep everybody where they are now, apart from 1 move. Where’s the money coming from? Well that’s part two the Strike Division. <br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-39434406431166813552016-10-26T22:37:36.956+02:002016-10-26T22:37:36.956+02:00That's a good summary, unfortunately. I share ...That's a good summary, unfortunately. I share your feelings about how this thing is going. Gabrielehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01623558391676151582noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-46531563880706506282016-10-26T19:33:53.505+02:002016-10-26T19:33:53.505+02:00@Anonymous
"Too many Generals and Admirals w...@Anonymous<br /><br />"Too many Generals and Admirals wait until they are sitting in the House of Lords before they state the bleeding obvious that we don’t have enough equipment or man power to do all of what is asked of them."<br /><br />The whole post/article is first-rate in its analysis but the sentence that really struck me was the one above. You can say that again and again and again.<br /><br />Do you know that when the manpower of the Army came down from 102,000 to 82,000 as a result of SDSR 2010, there were still people arguing that we cold operate efficiently with an even smaller Army. Beyond belief! MikeWnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-53227626437161071552016-10-26T18:13:53.081+02:002016-10-26T18:13:53.081+02:00Gabriel
Another good article and one that I hope ...Gabriel <br />Another good article and one that I hope brings the toes of certain senior people including Generals, Politicians and MOD Mandarins to the fire. It should make them take a long hard look at what drives their desires on this “Strike” Brigade Concept and if they are being truly honest with the public, but more importantly their own staff. To try and recover the moral of the British Army which is pretty low at the moment with little support for the Strategy the Senior Army ranks are taking. If we look at what is driving these decisions it becomes clear why the Generals are where they are:<br />1. Wheels can’t follow tracks. It was shown with a number of training deployments over Salisbury Plain in 2012/13 that Mastiffs can’t keep up and provide support to CR2, CVRT and Warrior equipped troops. The fact is that any wheeled vehicle cannot follow to provide the follow on support Infantry, they just cannot keep close enough, the distance troops then had to march to get in to the battle was to far.<br />2. We Couldn’t Take Tracks to Afghanistan. The scars left by using Snatch Land Rovers runs deep. The Army wanted Warriors, politicians who sold it to the public as a piece keeping operation (remember Mr Reid’s famous “we hope to not shoot a single bullet in Southern Iraq” well he was only over a million rounds out after the first year) which it most definitely wasn’t. So the army wants the most heavily armoured thing it can get on wheels, that ain’t a tank. We don’t need to look like a tank (hence no Gun Support Version) we don’t want it to have the fire power of an Ajax as that would beg the question why are we buying that. So you end up with an over armoured box for fighting the Taliban but under gunned because it cannot have anything bigger than what a Mastiff has mounted on it.<br />3. We’re planning for fighting the last war. No critical thinking or criticism of Politicians has happened. Read and digest the Chilcott report which clearly shows the very poor ability of Senior Army members to change doctrinal thinking when it is clearly shown to be failing in practice. Secondly the Army is not being honest with either the politicians or the public on what it can and can’t do. Too many Generals and Admirals wait until they are sitting in the House of Lords before they state the bleeding obvious that we don’t have enough equipment or man power to do all of what is asked of them. <br />4. Nobody wants to face up to what Russia and China can Do. Too many times Generals, think tanks and other supposed informed commentators play down the ability of our main opponents. Just look at the many reports that have come out of the Ukraine, Crimea and Georgia. Russia learnt its lessons in Georgia we need to learn also. That means that 8x8 APC’s get munched by Russian Rocketry and Artillery. That active defence requires modern armoured Anti-Tank Missiles. Area Denial Weapons mean Air Superiority is not guaranteed. We need heavily armoured vehicles to fight on the modern battlefield, with modern defensive systems. We need to look at friendly nations such as Israel that are engaged in open hostilities and look at the way they are developing in the heat of battle. None of this is being done, a concept that 20yrs ago had merit, has been shown not to work so well and been modified is now being copied by British Generals because they are playing catch up with the me too attitude. If an 8x8 had been purchased 20yrs ago when the USA bought Strykers then maybe, but now the threat has changed the thinking has not. <br />5. We have not spent enough money on armour, artillery, signals or logistics for years. So we are only buying an upgrade to 245 Warriors this is not enough to equip more than 2 Armoured Infantry Brigades plus training/replacement vehicles etc. We are only providing a limited slep to CR2. We need to extend the range of both GMLRS and AS90 to deal with the issue of being outgunned by Russia. We still haven’t worked out what we do with all the old 1970’s armour being used in support roles. We have no armoured anti air or anti- tank vehicles. <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-34581828678792436872016-10-26T10:48:02.870+02:002016-10-26T10:48:02.870+02:00TestTestAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-4251056729910575122016-10-25T15:58:47.187+02:002016-10-25T15:58:47.187+02:00Building on Gabby's post, can I suggest a furt...Building on Gabby's post, can I suggest a further development - <br />1. We keep and update the 3 "Heavy Brigades", populated by 3 combined arms regiments and a heavy recon regiment (with Chall 2). The 3 "mechanised" infantry battalions would be removed.<br />2. We delete 16 Air Assault (shock!!!)<br />3. We develop 3 Infantry Brigades, each with 1 para/air assault battalion; 2 motorised infantry battalions (mounted on Mastiff / Ridgeback / Foxhound); 1 Light Recon Regiment (with direct fire - Centauro 2 if possible).<br />I realise that it will be anathema to many to delete 16 Air Assault, but the days of a Brigade level para or air assault are gone, the most that can be expected is by battalion groups (of which we will have three + SFSG) under the above scheme.<br />The above would be combined with 2 identical divisional headquarters and divisional troops (engineer, artillery, logistics, aviation etc), with the Brigades being assigned as required. 6 operational headquarters (7 with 3 Commando) is certainly achievable with current resources.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-85552840401267666072016-10-25T15:06:22.192+02:002016-10-25T15:06:22.192+02:00Hi Gabriele,
Thank you for another good article.
I...Hi Gabriele,<br />Thank you for another good article.<br />I agree with you, what is this strike brigade for?<br />A Mali style or CI operation or peer fighting?<br />I have to point out the difference in the military dictionary between the US and French armies, and the British. <br />Strike brigade in the US and French armies, who our strike brigade is meant to work with means; <br />Self deploying, medium armour equipped with a family of wheeled armoured vehicles.<br />The British entry reads:<br />A botched up brigade of a mix of vehicles and a stealthy way to cut the armies deployable units.<br />800 Boxer vehicles?!!! As I understand the budget situation in the army at the moment, you have to have an operational reason to get a paper clip.<br />Lets not forget, just a couple of months ago Carter said in front of the defence committee, the strike brigade would consist of 2 Ajax regiments and 2 maybe 1 infantry battalions. I assume the maybe about the infantry battalions in because he only has 3 Mastiff battalions at the moment, divided by 2 means 1.5 between the 2 brigades. My own feeling is that this will be reduced down to 2 Mastiff battalions, so one for each brigade.<br />So unless Carter has found a pot of spare cash and some common sense, I doubt very much the rumour about 800 Boxers.<br />Phil (the cynical ex pongo)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-49427762544028486492016-10-24T12:34:43.591+02:002016-10-24T12:34:43.591+02:00Agree on all points Gabriele makes.
You could not...Agree on all points Gabriele makes.<br /><br />You could not make up the stupidity of the MoD/HMG, and the army.<br /><br />We had 3 Armoured and Mechanized Brigades. We then changed 1 Armoured Brigade to Mechanized ( a defence cut, as it got rid of some tanks in forming "Medium Armoured Squadrons" and some Warriors ) and changed a Mechanized Brigade to a Light Brigade.<br />Then we got rid of the Light Brigade, for sod all. Then we reduce 3 Mechanized and 2 Armoured Brigades to 3 "Armoured Infantry Brigades" Why these bloody name changes! <br />Now, with only these 3 Armoured Infantry Brigades left, we mutilate what we have left to form some Mechanized Brigades with a fancy name! By losing more of the few AS90, Tanks and Warrior we have left! <br />When all along, we have Foxhound which could be grouped into 2 brigades of the Adaptable Force, for me 7th and 51st with their illustrious history, of 3 Battalions each, and spend a little on the enablers like an extra Artillery and Signal Regiment, and Signals, as Gabriele has banged on about for years, and quite rightly. <br />Instead? The Foxhounds are spread like Confetti around the 7 "Infantry" brigades of the adaptable force, as sad collection of mutilated formations with no real defined role.<br /><br />Makes me mad. Shame on you HMG. Shame on you.<br /><br />Rant over.Daniele Mandellinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-20538612469403386612016-10-24T11:39:05.584+02:002016-10-24T11:39:05.584+02:00Gabi
If I were very cynical I'd suggest these ...Gabi<br />If I were very cynical I'd suggest these "strike" brigades are designed to not deploy. The army has done a lot of fighting in the last few years and people need a rest.<br /><br />And commanding one of the "defence engagement " battalions sounds like a nice gig, embedded with a friendly government somewhere moderately sunny.<br />When I was at BAE a little while back the joke was that uk defence procurement is driven by frequent flyer points, hence the eclectic mix of vehicles, to be fair to Boxer it cannot be worse than Panther CLV<br />Sim'an Dawoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16151212164969060957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-65567091793946220402016-10-24T04:55:20.072+02:002016-10-24T04:55:20.072+02:00I enjoy reading these article but always struggle ...I enjoy reading these article but always struggle to understand why a simple Motor Rifle Brigade is so hard to produce for the UK, your defence budget is quite big. To much politics<br /><br />YuliyaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-18133265807770908372016-10-23T21:49:07.402+02:002016-10-23T21:49:07.402+02:00Conceptually, that would be a good approach. The f...Conceptually, that would be a good approach. The fact is: i do not really believe in the reports of 600 or 800 vehicles. I will be very, very surprised if the army suddenly orders so many hundreds of vehicles, and in so many variants. Very surprised. Gabrielehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01623558391676151582noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-58398037546693989212016-10-23T19:15:34.889+02:002016-10-23T19:15:34.889+02:00Gaby
Good article. I am just wondering whether t...Gaby<br /><br />Good article. I am just wondering whether there is something in what the first Anonymous says about Boxer. You remember that news item that appeared in “The Times" a fortnight or so ago (the one about the UK MOD intending to push through an order for no fewer than eight hundred Boxer vehicles from Germany)?<br /><br />Now Anonymous mentions that the DONAR 155mm gun is available as a module for BOXER. I had thoughts when I saw the “Times” article that possibly, just possibly, the MOD and British Army might be attempting to solve most of their problems concerning the Strike Brigades by purchasing a very large number indeed of the BOXER vehicles, in many different variants.<br /><br />The Strike Brigades will certainly not be a success unless they are very well-equipped with a wide range of variants: e.g. Personnel carrier, Reconnaissance, Command, Ambulance, Repair and Recovery, Fire support, ATGW , Mortar carrier , etc. They will almost certainly need a bridgelayer too. Given the DONAR version, the BOXER can obviously carry a SP Gun as well. Many, many birds could be killed with one stone by such an order. The solution would obviously be superior to the mish-mash of a brigade cobbled together from wheeled and tracked vehicles (MIV and AJAX, for instance), which, in my honest opinion, would not work.<br />MikeWnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-79203969349766707492016-10-23T11:23:21.903+02:002016-10-23T11:23:21.903+02:00That's my point as well. The MIV is an upgrade...That's my point as well. The MIV is an upgrade compared to the Mastiff, but if i have to cut back everything else to procure it, then i wouldn't even think about it. Gabrielehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01623558391676151582noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-72405391362097341442016-10-23T11:18:54.683+02:002016-10-23T11:18:54.683+02:00The role of the vehicle is, obviously, determined ...The role of the vehicle is, obviously, determined largely by its weapons fit and by the enemy firepower. If the MIV gets nothing better than a RWS with a .50 HMG, it clearly will be forced to stay back and will be limited in the support it can effectively provide. Just like Mastiff, it will be an armoured taxi which brings the infantry up to N hundred meters away from the target, and then lets the infantry get on with it. <br />But more firepower is needed for it to have any sense: insurgents use large caliber weapons all the time, and it is ridiculous that vehicles costing millions of pounds have to keep back because their weight of fire is outmatched by ex-soviet 23mm guns on the back of a toyota pick-up. The great mobility of a column of wheeled armoured vehicles is pointless if they don't have the firepower to win the fight when they arrive. <br />Similarly, the Europe-based Strykers are perfect for "racing" towards a sudden movement of russian troops, but if they get there with just .50 HMG when the russians put missiles and 30mm guns on nearly anything that moves in their army... well, they won't gain the heavy forces much time, let's say so. Gabrielehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01623558391676151582noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-663892941353444642016-10-23T11:06:32.950+02:002016-10-23T11:06:32.950+02:00True, i'll put up the correct pic. Thanks.True, i'll put up the correct pic. Thanks. Gabrielehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01623558391676151582noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-41532178869103457722016-10-23T06:52:35.790+02:002016-10-23T06:52:35.790+02:00The main US medium infantry brigade in Europe is t...The main US medium infantry brigade in Europe is the 2nd Cavalry. It is the first brigade that will get the 30 mm cannon mentioned in the article. This suggests that they will have a role in a conflict with Russia. It would take a month or more for US based armored brigades to make it to any fight with Russia. If the strike brigades do not have a role in the defense of Europe, I agree that the MoD plan is bad news for NATO countries and other allies threatened by Russia.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-47361210975448930782016-10-23T06:33:50.839+02:002016-10-23T06:33:50.839+02:00It strikes me that the strike brigade is intended ...It strikes me that the strike brigade is intended as some sort of globally deployable formation to conduct operations in former colonies and the like.<br /><br />But the UK has already conducted such an operation in Afghanistan and purchased the Mastiff, Ridgeback and Foxhound to do so. And they performed quite well.<br /><br />So my question is. What does the Strike Brigade bring that the light formations can't already do aside from Ajax. Which will be stripped from the heavy formations.<br />Might as well just send over the light formations and take the Ajax element from a heavy formation to attach to it in theatre. Sure it isn't a neat premade formation, but it offers virtually the same capability for no extra cost.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-77231120994041324802016-10-23T06:18:20.247+02:002016-10-23T06:18:20.247+02:00I believe the intent of the medium force is not to...I believe the intent of the medium force is not to fight peer enemies, but rather be deployed in colonial style conflicts like Mali. That in and of itself should be a warning sign as to why going down this path of cutting heavy force capability is a foolish one.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-3575285576136157922016-10-23T04:27:03.801+02:002016-10-23T04:27:03.801+02:00This article lacks much detail about how an infant...This article lacks much detail about how an infantry brigade would be deployed to slow down a Russian invasion. Say a Russian division or brigade is advancing on some area defended by a medium infantry brigade. What tactics are used? Do the infantry take cover in trees or an urban area and shoot at the advancing enemy? Would the APCs, whatever their weapons load out, park behind the dismounted infantry and also shoot or do they drive off and fight separately?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-88707227176695374272016-10-22T21:49:04.020+02:002016-10-22T21:49:04.020+02:00Great writeup, although one little thing to note. ...Great writeup, although one little thing to note. The picture of a "Jaguar" is not a Jaguar, thats a Sphinx, which was Jaguar's competitor.Retrohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05502378424433709538noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-59037307338091765982016-10-22T21:12:28.179+02:002016-10-22T21:12:28.179+02:00In defence of Boxer:
One benefit of selecting Box...In defence of Boxer:<br /><br />One benefit of selecting Boxer is that the 155mm Artillery Gun Module for DONAR is also available as a Boxer module. This would give the British Army a common wheeled/tracked artillery system, which would be excellent in terms of commonality and logistics.<br /><br />Then, replace the L118 with a mix of M777s and 120mm mortars, and that would give the Royal Artillery some very good capabilities indeed.<br /><br />Boxer really would need a 40mm CTAS turret module though, it doesn't make sense to buy the MIV if it still needs the support of Ajax's 40mm turret.<br /><br />A self-propelled 120mm mortar and wheeled MLRS would both be good elements for the Strike Brigades. I wonder if the 120mm NEMO mortar turret from the Patria AMV could be adapted into a Boxer module? And how about an MLRS module for Boxer?<br /><br />It's areas like these which make Boxer make sense, in that it would enable the British Army to develop new capabilities, while still reducing the number of different vehicle types in service, which will reduce maintenance/logistics costs, and enable a Strike Brigade to be tailored with only the modules that are required for a specific mission, without needing a fixed number of vehicle chassis in order to provide that capability.<br /><br />What would be a really brilliant idea, is if somebody developed a common module that could be installed on both a tracked and wheeled chassis, similar in concept to Boxer. Just imagine it: A 40mm CTAS turret, a 120mm gun, 155mm artillery, a 120mm mortar, and an MLRS module, all swappable between a wheeled and tracked chassis as required, thus enabling a medium-weight brigade to be truly tailored between tracked/wheeled capabilities. Alas, that would be a huge and expensive development.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com