Medium Cavalry: Critical Capability or Poor Man’s MBT?

[FJAG]

If Canada is pursuing medium tanks for medium cavalry because the CAF budget cannot afford MBTs for heavy cavalry, that is a fair argument. But if cost is the limiting factor, why are we going for two units of medium cavalry and two units of heavy cavalry?

I don't know. Ask a tanker. I don't know what gene pool they are looking at - stupid things will probably have wheels.

Surely we can more easily afford three units of heavy cavalry. I understand war gaming determined that one unit of MBT was not enough for a battle winning division, but why did CA plan to add a new unit for heavy cavalry instead of re-rolling a unit envisioned to be medium cavalry?

I don't believe in medium cavalry. I believe in light and heavy cavalry. I believe in lighter and cheaper MBTs as the foundation of heavy cavalry.

If MBTs are too big and heavy, that can be fixed in the design of MBTs.

Absolutely. But there are limited choices and their availability is anyone's guess.

And modern military bridging is able to support most MBTs, with the US and UK fleets being the difficult outliers.

Military bridging can but civilian bridging in some areas are challenged. Note how the Americans are putting their bridging/water crossing assets in the three armoured divisions (reinforced) while the ordinary armoured divisions generally don't. That speaks of your vanilla armoured divisions being follow on forces on the 3 heavies have established bridgeheads. Other folks have bridging too, but I see a dearth of it in the Baltic States.

 

[KevinB]

Outside of Recce, the TAPV with RWS are single weapon capable (GPMG or AGL as opposed to GPMG and AGL).

Well that’s dumb.

Frankly the dual M2/Mk19 manned turret of the ones down here make a lot more sense to me.

 

[KevinB]

I see a role for wheeled medium cavalry if it is part of a combined arms grouping with wheeled mechanized infantry and the two arms realize synergies from a common platform with common mobility & protection characteristics and common sustainment. This also necessitates the wheeled cavalry bringing meaningfully greater firepower to the team. This will not be the force to assault the main defensive area, but it can rapidly manoeuvre for rear and flank security, screening, or exploitation.

I can see that - I’m still more for a tracked force for that, but given the number of LAV Canada has, I can see the desire for a role for that. I’m still not sure a large tank cannon is the correct tool for that platform though. F&F missiles sure with a mid cal cannon.

 

[WestIsle]

I am not fussed if the armoured corps wants to re-brand as cavalry, but I also perceive this is not just re-branding but a construct to retain units in a black beret at a time when Canada did not really intend to spend more than 1.3% of GDP on defence. The spending situation has changed, so maybe the charade can go with it.

But should it be? The army wants more heavy cavalry and it also has a project for future direct fire capability, and the army will need to get on with that procurement if it wants to stand-up a new unit. Why invest in the poor man's tank if we would be better getting all our needs via MBTs?

Keep in mind that this is the same branch not so long ago that was advocating for a MPF light tank battalion at the division level alongside a spattering of new versions of the Multi-Mission Effects Vehicle in a division that would have included MBTs in each brigade. It seemed at least at the time particularly with the debacle of the TAPV that the Armored Corps seemed more keen on having the same capabilities as the states even if they were superfluous or unnecessary for us, budget be damned.

Even now as the CA tries to move to division operations we are going to get battalion sized recce elements in each brigade as well as at the division level? Much of these elements are also going to be equipment and manned to near the same as the mechanized infantry.

 

[daftandbarmy]

I can see that - I’m still more for a tracked force for that, but given the number of LAV Canada has, I can see the desire for a role for that. I’m still not sure a large tank cannon is the correct tool for that platform though. F&F missiles sure with a mid cal cannon.

Like an upgraded Bradley?

 

[FJAG]

Like an upgraded Bradley?

I'm actually starting to see the value of the AJAX family (or CV9040s)