Army Wants 'Air Droppable' Light Tank & Ultra-Light Vehicles

MGS uses the "low profile turret" developed for the Teledyne Expeditionary Tank, which lost the AGS competition to the CCV-L. Knocks against that vehicle included that the turret, while innovative, was cramped and the autoloader stunk. While improvements have been made, fundamentally the limits of that turret still exist.

Recall also that Stryker was intended to be an interim system with a fair number of shortcuts favoring rapid adoption over optimal performance, and MGS specifically was a "well since we can't have AGS, what CAN we do in the near term?" solution.
 
OSHKOSH, Wis. (June 4, 2021) — The U.S. Army Contracting Command – Detroit Arsenal (ACC-DTA) announced that it has awarded Oshkosh Defense, a wholly owned subsidiary of Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE: OSK), a $942.9M contract to integrate a 30MM Medium Caliber Weapon System (MCWS) onto the Stryker Double V Hull Infantry Carrier Vehicle (ICVVA1). This upgrade will provide precision lethality capability to the Army’s Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT).

Oshkosh Defense teamed with Pratt Miller and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems to deliver an MCWS that provides increased lethality, accuracy, and range while maintaining the mobility and survivability of the Stryker ICVVA1. Oshkosh will integrate onto the ICVVA1 chassis a 30mm weapon system based on Rafael Advanced Defense Systems’ proven SAMSON family of turrets. The contract calls for the integration of the Oshkosh MCWS onto three Stryker Brigade Combat Teams (SBCTs) as well as a full spectrum of system technical support, interim contractor logistics support, and integrated product support.


www.defensenews.com/land/2021/06/03/army-chooses-winner-to-build-its-new-stryker-gun-system/
 
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How capable would a turret setup on the above that at counter micro-UAS? It has airburst ammo but what about the sensors, turret response time and FCS?
 
Pretty old concept (2010?), does anyone know if anything have come from this?

C13DjJJVEAAngah.jpg

Gun Type / Explosion protected Type
15 ton
1 in C-130, 2 in C-2
dual recoil gun, direct,indirect fire (105mm) /
/ Large mine protected
in hub motors
4/8 man (crew? Passenger?)

Purpose: Asymmetric/Island

 
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BAE?

One of the two competing designs for the Mobile Protected Firepower, the Army's new light tank, might be light enough to be airdropped, the leader of Army Futures Command told a Senate subcommittee June 15.

"Airdrop is not one of the requirements that we're currently pursuing," Gen. John Murray told the Senate Armed Services tactical air and land forces subcommittee. "One of the vendors is significantly lighter than the other, and there could be potential there, but that's not an Army requirement."
 
BAE?

One of the two competing designs for the Mobile Protected Firepower, the Army's new light tank, might be light enough to be airdropped, the leader of Army Futures Command told a Senate subcommittee June 15.

"Airdrop is not one of the requirements that we're currently pursuing," Gen. John Murray told the Senate Armed Services tactical air and land forces subcommittee. "One of the vendors is significantly lighter than the other, and there could be potential there, but that's not an Army requirement."
Yes, BAE. They've kept their footprint small and the basic vehicle without bolt-ons should still be light enough. You can bet that their reps and everyone from the 82nd involved with this mentions it any any opportunity.
 
The GD prototype would weigh less if it did not use the same turret as the Abrams, which in my opinion it is a mistake to have proposed it. If this model wins, they should either create a new turret or recycle the one from the BAE prototype.
 
Are the ongoing issues with the British Army's Ajax likely to influence OFMV selection in anyway? How is it that a rather mature and proven platform (a variant of the ASCOD 2) is having so many issues?
 
The U.S has never been happy with their air drop tanks.
Any one remember the Sheridan 155mm.
 
Are the ongoing issues with the British Army's Ajax likely to influence OFMV selection in anyway? How is it that a rather mature and proven platform (a variant of the ASCOD 2) is having so many issues?
Well before the Ajax news broke, GDLS was already stressing how their vehicle was not simply Ajax with a 105mm. The running gear and power pack are different, and they're being built by seasoned vets of the M1 family. Doesn't mean it wouldn't have the same or similar issues, of course.

The "how" of Ajax's problems depends a lot on details we are still short on. I hope a proper UK gov investigation, or credible investigative reporting, provides that someday. Based on the reporting so far, it's mainly a project management problem. The information you need to make the right decision can be out there and the wrong decision is still made because the person with the authority to make the call is too naive, overwhelmed, rushed, disinterested, or just plain stupid to do the legwork.
 
Were just digging around ideas on this topic....and I hit

combatreform....

Still, the pitch of fielding 106mm RR as interim light direct fire solution seems interesting and would be far more available than say XM-8.

The T114 BAT turret on a modern vehicle should enable good HE capability with a small development time and no exposed crews. (may even fit on a heliborn vehicle) A Raven gun can be the longer term objective.
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It doesn't seem worthwhile to have a completely new vehicle type to extend dumb-fire HE range a bit. AT fires can be done with better with Javelin on a RWS as 105mm does not defeat MBT threats.

Is "dual-recoil" another way of saying soft-recoil?
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The gun mounting absorbs part of the recoil by shifting back. This lowers ROF but reduces impulse, and adds weight and cost. The system is used in the following ww2 guns
 
I think the UK had the best approach in the 70s with its CVRT family. They fit easily inside a C130 (originally AW681) or underneath a CH47/53.
Changes in UK Defence Policy after 1967 meant they went to Germany as recce/armoured cav. But they could have re-equipped the three airportable brigades effectively.
They relied on the Swingfire ATGW vehicle (Striker) to deal with MBTs but the 76mm gun (Scorpion) and 30mm cannon (Scimitar) could handle other stuff. Light and fast they could go places (Falklands) that Chieftains and FV432 could not.
A modern equivalent would suit the UK well.
 

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EMAV was designed with a narrow hull to ensure it is transportable in the V-22 and CH-47.

Can this really fit?
 

View attachment 665754

EMAV was designed with a narrow hull to ensure it is transportable in the V-22 and CH-47.

Can this really fit?
Looks like a Matilda.
 

View attachment 665754

EMAV was designed with a narrow hull to ensure it is transportable in the V-22 and CH-47.

Can this really fit?
Looks like a Matilda.
Just waltzing around the battlefield
 

View attachment 665754

EMAV was designed with a narrow hull to ensure it is transportable in the V-22 and CH-47.

Can this really fit?
At this rate the US might as well have one of these
 

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Regarding the Armored Gun System competition, a Popular Mechanics article originally from 1988:

In May 1988, Popular Mechanics covered the Armored Gun System (AGS) competition, an effort to replace the M551A1 Sheridan light tank. The contest had come down to three companies: FMC, Teledyne Continental Motors, and Cadillac Gage. FMC's Close Combat Vehicle, Light (CCVL) would be the eventual winner, becoming the M8 Armored Gun System ( a project cancelled in 1997 and replaced by the M1128 Mobile Gun System). However, the new M8 Buford takes many elements of the original M8 and could become the Army's new Mobile Projected Firepower (MPF) vehicle, which will be assessed in June 2021.
 

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