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

[daftandbarmy]

Thing to remember, they are discussing ACV-W not having a turret, a la bison, with only a MG and atgm. If this happens MCAV becomes the fire support to the infantry in those brigades.

MBTs, and artillery, are the main sources of fire support to the Infantry.

Everything else tends to be 'window dressing' to the main event and they don't last in a toe to toe punch up which, of course, is what decisive armoured warfare is all about.

 

[GK .Dundas]

We've been using the concept of the Direct Fire Support Vehicle for almost 50 years as an excuse not to purchase MBTs
And without actually proving the concept actually works in Peer on Peer conflicts.
Silly me I forgot Canada doesn't do wars.

 

[daftandbarmy]

We've been using the concept of the Direct Fire Support Vehicle for almost 50 years as an excuse not to purchase MBTs
And without actually proving the concept actually works in Peer on Peer conflicts.
Silly me I forgot Canada doesn't do wars.

I recall a fun little exchange between a couple of senior people about the 'Future of the Army'.

First guy: "We'll all be zooming around in space ships"

Second guy: "While the heavy armoured brigades occupy your capital city."

 

[KevinB]

Thing to remember, they are discussing ACV-W not having a turret, a la bison, with only a MG and atgm. If this happens MCAV becomes the fire support to the infantry in those brigades.

@daftandbarmy already mentioned this, but I really hope that ACV-W is not planned for Infantry Line Companies.

While I like ATGM's on IFV's - they really do need to be F&F setups - furthermore any vehicle that is taking troops into proximity of enemy defenses needs to have a cannon (and C-UAS but I digress).

It doesn't matter if you plan on dismounting your troops on the objective, 100m out, or 1-3 km out - the enemy will be able to engage with DF weapons - and there needs to be a way for vehicles to effectively suppress positions.
MG's are great for soldiers in the open, and .50 does pretty well against light vehicles and lighter fortification, but it does not do well against heavily fortified positions or armored vehicles.
Yes ideally your tanks and Artillery have suppressed those positions - but any good opponent is not going to be suppressed for long unless under constant effective fire (effective fire causes casualties).

 

[daftandbarmy]

@daftandbarmy already mentioned this, but I really hope that ACV-W is not planned for Infantry Line Companies.

While I like ATGM's on IFV's - they really do need to be F&F setups - furthermore any vehicle that is taking troops into proximity of enemy defenses needs to have a cannon (and C-UAS but I digress).

It doesn't matter if you plan on dismounting your troops on the objective, 100m out, or 1-3 km out - the enemy will be able to engage with DF weapons - and there needs to be a way for vehicles to effectively suppress positions.
MG's are great for soldiers in the open, and .50 does pretty well against light vehicles and lighter fortification, but it does not do well against heavily fortified positions or armored vehicles.
Yes ideally your tanks and Artillery have suppressed those positions - but any good opponent is not going to be suppressed for long unless under constant effective fire (effective fire causes casualties).

Can we just go with 'Improved Bradley'?

That thing is a frickin' beast....

 

[Underway]

@daftandbarmy already mentioned this, but I really hope that ACV-W is not planned for Infantry Line Companies.

While I like ATGM's on IFV's - they really do need to be F&F setups - furthermore any vehicle that is taking troops into proximity of enemy defenses needs to have a cannon (and C-UAS but I digress).

It doesn't matter if you plan on dismounting your troops on the objective, 100m out, or 1-3 km out - the enemy will be able to engage with DF weapons - and there needs to be a way for vehicles to effectively suppress positions.
MG's are great for soldiers in the open, and .50 does pretty well against light vehicles and lighter fortification, but it does not do well against heavily fortified positions or armored vehicles.
Yes ideally your tanks and Artillery have suppressed those positions - but any good opponent is not going to be suppressed for long unless under constant effective fire (effective fire causes casualties).

They are talking about a 30mm, so I'm assuming that there will be a turreted option. Doesn't preclude other non-turreted variants for other tasks.

 

[Kirkhill]

It depends on which battlefield.

The Brits fought the Japanese in Burma from Stuart Light Tanks with 37mm guns.

They were totally outclassed in North African deserts but just the ticket for the jungles.