M10 Booker Combat Vehicle / Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF)

Considering that Campbell was home to multiple Armor DIVISIONs in the past which including the M60 till the 80s in natguard role and didn't become home of the Airborne til the mid 1970s...

Something smelly.
 
Firefinder said:
Considering that Campbell was home to multiple Armor DIVISIONs in the past which including the M60 till the 80s in natguard role and didn't become home of the Airborne til the mid 1970s...

Something smelly.
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It isn't at all smelly when you recall that this was totally predicted by the LCEA in 2021.

But sure, call the Army Senior Advisor for S&T a liar without basis.

Also, being limited to one per C-17 really encapsulates how much of a faceplant this program has been.
 
totallyaverage said:
It isn't at all smelly when you recall that this was totally predicted by the LCEA in 2021.

But sure, call the Army Senior Advisor for S&T a liar without basis.

Also, being limited to one per C-17 really encapsulates how much of a faceplant this program has been.
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Considering he is focusing on the weirdest stuff?

Like SINCGARS? The primary standard issued radio in the US Army that EVERYONE uses? With no replacement on record for several years now?

Or the Airdrop and C130 ability despite tge knew issues it causes for the vehicles designers?

Or the Unmanned ability which we still BARELY know what we need to make it actually work?

And the fact idiots in his type of role have out right lie, to fucking Congress let alone the press before?

I have multiple salt blocks.

Edit: The Bradley!

Thats what this reminds me of. Those hit articles that age so badly.
 
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Anyone calling it a tank, or even a light tank, doesn't understand its role and is asking it to do things it isn't designed for. Is the problem specifications, or expectations?
 
I think the only area or problem I see is if they have indeed been limited to one vehicle per C-17. That would be a fairly significant setback. Other points made in the article don’t really concern the program. If they want a big gun to do what they want the big to do (MPF) then this is a significantly better solution for its intended users than a M1 whatever the Abram’s is upgraded with.

The timing of this though makes me think it might be on the chopping block as part of the 8% budget realignment drill happening inside each service ahead of the 26 budget request that will drop in May.
 
Given that it was intended as an airdroppable light tank or fire support vehicle for Airborne forces and ended up as neither a tank (or arguably, viable fire support) or airdroppable (or even particularly airmobile), it would seem to be a case of being low hanging fruit.
 
Firefinder said:
Considering he is focusing on the weirdest stuff?

Like SINCGARS? The primary standard issued radio in the US Army that EVERYONE uses? With no replacement on record for several years now?

Or the Airdrop and C130 ability despite tge knew issues it causes for the vehicles designers?

Or the Unmanned ability which we still BARELY know what we need to make it actually work?

And the fact idiots in his type of role have out right lie, to fucking Congress let alone the press before?

I have multiple salt blocks.

Edit: The Bradley!

Thats what this reminds me of. Those hit articles that age so badly.
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Fielding the MPF to sites not currently hosting tracked vehicles may necessitate construction of maintenance facilities and other infrastructure such as hardened bridges to facilitate general vehicle operation, operation of heavy support equipment and vehicles, and storage at the home station. In these cases, construction will be evaluated in site-specific NEPA documents.
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Some IBCT home stations either currently or have recently operated tracked vehicles, while others have not. Where tracked vehicles have recently operated, existing infrastructure is likely sufficient to support MPF; however, at many locations infrastructure upgrades or new construction will be required to operate and support the MPF system effectively. Improvements may include hardening bridges, upgrading training areas or tank trails, and/or upgrading storage and maintenance facilities. Site improvements, if required, will also result in corresponding revisions to site specific permits and environmental protection plans.
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As previously discussed, some fielding locations may not have sufficient infrastructure for system training, operation and storage. Additional maneuver areas, tank trails, hard stand/parking areas, hardened bridges, hardened stream crossings, and/or maintenance facilities may need to be constructed at these installations.
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Land use and soil impacts due to testing, training, and operations are expected to be minimal. Potential impacts would result from vehicle operation, live fire testing and training, and vehicle fluid spills/leaks. Indirect land use and soil impacts may result from infrastructure improvements, including maneuver area upgrades, tank trail improvements, hardening of roads and bridges, hardening of stream crossings, or addition of hard stand/parking areas, depending on site-specific needs.
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As mentioned in the Air and Water Quality sections, the proposed action may result in upgrades to maneuver areas and tank trails, hardening of low water crossings and bridges, and construction of storage areas and maintenance facilities at some locations. These would be long-term changes to land use but would likely not be used exclusively for the MPF. Because each installation will have unique construction requirements and has a different environmental setting, it is not effective to programmatically evaluate the soil and land use impacts of that construction. Each site should assess the environmental impacts of its planned upgrades in a site-specific NEPA document.
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The MPF will be a new vehicle in the IBCT. As a result, some installations will require infrastructure improvements which may include hardened roads and bridges, hard stand for vehicle storage, improved/new maintenance facilities, improved/new maneuver areas equipped with appropriate low water crossings and tank trails. At these installations, environmental impacts will be evaluated in site-specific NEPA documents. As previously stated, impacts from infrastructure improvements will vary according to specific site requirements and the site's environmental, geographic, and cultural setting.
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If implemented, the proposed action would result in fielding the MPF to up to 32 IBCT garrisons – few of which currently have MPF-like tracked vehicles. As a result, some of these installations do not have sufficient infrastructure for system support, training, operation, storage, and maintenance. Some installations may need to construct maneuver areas, tank trails, or sufficient hard stand or other parking areas. These infrastructure upgrades will need to accommodate support vehicles such as the M88A2 recovery vehicle and others described in Section 4.2. Site-specific environmental impacts of construction will be evaluated in site-specific NEPA analyses.
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Add in the tens of millions in infrastructure contracts issues for Fort Campbell shortly after GDLS was selected...but I'm sure it's just a conspiracy.
 
Tbh i don't get such focus on unification in this particular case.
It's AFV, not a fusion reactor ffs.

Buy both for their respective communities.
 
totallyaverage said:






Add in the tens of millions in infrastructure contracts issues for Fort Campbell shortly after GDLS was selected...but I'm sure it's just a conspiracy.
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Eyeah heres the issue boss.

ANY OF THE CONTESTS WILL HAVE THE SAME ISSUES.

And have given less protection, more lead time, more training needs, and a host of other factors.

Throw in that Alot of posts begging for infrastructure updates? Like Campbell is notorious for its crappy barracks and poor roads...

It been the same no matter which been chosen.
 
Firefinder said:
Throw in that Alot of posts begging for infrastructure updates? Like Campbell is notorious for its crappy barracks and poor roads...
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I thought you just said the claim we needed to reinforce bridges was fake? Now you have always known the roads were bad and required work?

Which one is it?
 
totallyaverage said:
I thought you just said the claim we needed to reinforce bridges was fake? Now you have always known the roads were bad and required work?

Which one is it?
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I said it was smelly sdue to the post history and more to the fact that it only lightly touches on needing to upgrade the post and focus more on how we should just cut the M10.

You said I shouldn't call the Army ADVISER a liar without basis.

I listed the basis and you post the bases upgrade needs.

Like it was some type of smoking gun on how bad tge Booker is.

I merely point out that that been true anyways no matter what was picked. And Then I posted that it was bases do need upgrades anyways.

And I said roads, not hardballs not bridges not tanks trails. The actual street roads that the Booker will not see off of a trailer. Those roads need the upgrades, which is likely were most of the bridges are cause the Army avoids putting any bridges where military vehicles like to go. Cause they can suddenly jump up in weight from 1 to 10 tons like the Humvees and LMTVs did.

The Army does this type of trick all the time. They did similar in Carson when we switch to Stryker from Armor. There was a whole lot of work in areas that Strykers never saw.
 
Grey Havoc said:
Given that it was intended as an airdroppable light tank or fire support vehicle for Airborne forces and ended up as neither a tank (or arguably, viable fire support) or airdroppable (or even particularly airmobile), it would seem to be a case of being low hanging fruit.
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NO IT WAS NOT.

Airdroppable was NOT part of the design brief!

Mission was exactly what was written on the tin: Mobile Protected Firepower. A sturmgeshutz. An assault gun. For those units that do not regularly operate with Abrams support. Like leg infantry. Take over an airport, fly a quartet of C-17s in each with an M10 inside, drive the M10s out the back.

As to the increased bridge capacity thing, a loaded HEMTT is just as heavy as the M10 is, if not heavier. The bridges out in the training areas should be adequate to handle the tracks. The places you might need to install newer bridges are where the M10s are going to be on the back of Heavy Equipment Transporters.
 
Scott Kenny said:
NO IT WAS NOT.

Airdroppable was NOT part of the design brief!

Mission was exactly what was written on the tin: Mobile Protected Firepower. A sturmgeshutz. An assault gun. For those units that do not regularly operate with Abrams support. Like leg infantry. Take over an airport, fly a quartet of C-17s in each with an M10 inside, drive the M10s out the back.

As to the increased bridge capacity thing, a loaded HEMTT is just as heavy as the M10 is, if not heavier. The bridges out in the training areas should be adequate to handle the tracks. The places you might need to install newer bridges are where the M10s are going to be on the back of Heavy Equipment Transporters.
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I just hope that the heavier combat weight of the M10 versus the designs it competed against translates out to significantly better armor protection. Otherwise, the level of capability that 40-ish tons are buying doesn't seem all that impressive. I don't know why they didn't specify an autoloader either considering one of the goals is decreased weight and logistics footprint compared to the M1 Abrams. An autoloader would help to further achieve that.

How much of the Army these days would qualify as straight-leg infantry in the sense that they typically only have trucks and HMMWVs to work with? Are the M10s going to be part of those units or just attached to them?

As for airdroppable armor, the Army has clearly decided it's not needed, though I'm not sure what to think about that myself. There are plenty of possible situations like you describe where airborne/airmobile infantry could secure an airstrip and C-17s start flying in M10s and Strykers, but one can also think of potential scenarios where you'd want to bring in some light armor for that first wave.

Perhaps what is needed is less of a light tank for that, and more an updated tank on the German Wiesel weapons carrier concept. Light enough where you can even bring some in with some helicopters but armor protection against small arms and fragments. Some having autocannons, some missile launchers, and some with 81mm or 120mm mortars. These days you might want to have a variant dedicated just to being a mobile platform to send out small reconnaissance and kamikaze drones.
 
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Colonial-Marine said:
I just hope that the heavier combat weight of the M10 versus the designs it competed against translates out to significantly better armor protection. Otherwise, the level of capability that 40-ish tons are buying doesn't seem all that impressive. I don't know why they didn't specify an autoloader either considering one of the goals is decreased weight and logistics footprint compared to the M1 Abrams. An autoloader would help to further achieve that.
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Probably because specifying an autoloader would grossly unfairly advantage the M8 team. BAE didn't have a working autoloader design, while whoever was behind the M8 did.

I'm not sure the heavier weight translates to "better protection" so much as "a bigger chassis with twice as much ammo (useful when you have 5x ammo types to store!) and more space inside for crew." In The Chieftain's videos on the M8 MPF, he notes that there was very little space for him to move around in the turret, and that was with pieces of gear removed/not installed.

I don't think that the MPF has all that much better armor than a Bradley.



Colonial-Marine said:
How much of the Army these days would qualify as straight-leg infantry in the sense that they typically only have trucks and HMMWVs to work with? Are the M10s going to be part of those units or just attached to them?
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A bit over half the US Army (including Guard/Reserves) is leg infantry. Most of that is Guard/Reserves, but there's still 82nd+101st, 10th Mountain, and IIRC half of 25th "Infantry" division (1x ABN, 1x leg, 1x Stryker, 1x Armor brigades). There's also Guard/Reserve Armor units, like my local 116th BCT.



Colonial-Marine said:
As for as airdroppable armor, the Army has clearly decided it's not needed, though I'm not sure what to think about that myself. There are plenty of possible situations like you describe where airborne/airmobile infantry could secure an airstrip and C-17s could fly in, but one can also think of potential scenarios where you'd want to bring in some light armor for that first wave.

Perhaps what is needed is less of a light tank for that, and more an updated tank on the German Wiesel weapons carrier concept. Light enough where you can even bring some in with some helicopters but armor protection against small arms and fragments. Some having autocannons, some missile launchers, and some with 81mm or 120mm mortars. These days you might want to have a variant dedicated just to being a mobile platform to send out small reconnaissance and kamikaze drones.
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I think the "airborne weapons carrier" role is getting taken up by UTVs and the occasional converted Humvee with a mortar or even 105mm arty in the back.
 
Scott Kenny said:
Probably because specifying an autoloader would grossly unfairly advantage the M8 team. BAE didn't have a working autoloader design, while whoever was behind the M8 did.

I'm not sure the heavier weight translates to "better protection" so much as "a bigger chassis with twice as much ammo (useful when you have 5x ammo types to store!) and more space inside for crew." In The Chieftain's videos on the M8 MPF, he notes that there was very little space for him to move around in the turret, and that was with pieces of gear removed/not installed.

I don't think that the MPF has all that much better armor than a Bradley.




A bit over half the US Army (including Guard/Reserves) is leg infantry. Most of that is Guard/Reserves, but there's still 82nd+101st, 10th Mountain, and IIRC half of 25th "Infantry" division (1x ABN, 1x leg, 1x Stryker, 1x Armor brigades). There's also Guard/Reserve Armor units, like my local 116th BCT.




I think the "airborne weapons carrier" role is getting taken up by UTVs and the occasional converted Humvee with a mortar or even 105mm arty in the back.
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Forget that, the Chieftain (albeit a big dude) was not wearing body armor or equipment of any kind. Imagine climbing into that space wearing a vest and assorted pieces of equipment.

Hell, imagine trying to quickly climb out of the driver's hatch. LOL.

The M8 had the kind of disregard for ergonomics you'd expect to find in a WWII German tank.

Contrast that to the Booker, which actually has a side hatch specifically so you can get a wounded crewmember out without having to hoist him out of a hatch by his webbing.
 
Scott Kenny said:
NO IT WAS NOT.

Airdroppable was NOT part of the design brief!
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iirc, originally it in fact was(original request for tank was from airborne divisions). But when the process started and they added in infantry divisions, the RFP was indeed for air mobility only.
 
Scott Kenny said:
Probably because specifying an autoloader would grossly unfairly advantage the M8 team. BAE didn't have a working autoloader design, while whoever was behind the M8 did.

I'm not sure the heavier weight translates to "better protection" so much as "a bigger chassis with twice as much ammo (useful when you have 5x ammo types to store!) and more space inside for crew." In The Chieftain's videos on the M8 MPF, he notes that there was very little space for him to move around in the turret, and that was with pieces of gear removed/not installed.

I don't think that the MPF has all that much better armor than a Bradley.




A bit over half the US Army (including Guard/Reserves) is leg infantry. Most of that is Guard/Reserves, but there's still 82nd+101st, 10th Mountain, and IIRC half of 25th "Infantry" division (1x ABN, 1x leg, 1x Stryker, 1x Armor brigades). There's also Guard/Reserve Armor units, like my local 116th BCT.




I think the "airborne weapons carrier" role is getting taken up by UTVs and the occasional converted Humvee with a mortar or even 105mm arty in the back.
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I'll have to check out The Chieftain's video on the MPF prototype. Most of what I've read about the original M8 over the years seemed like a mostly positive evaluation. Of course, making AFVs small and light enough for airdrop does necessitate some compromises as the M551 and BMD series well show, and internal space for the crew is certainly one of those compromises.

I'm not against a heavier and larger vehicle than the M8, but it seems like there ought to have been some firm requirements allowing two MPF vehicles to be carried by a C-17, at least when they're in a basic configuration without add-on armor.

I know it has been pointed out before, but at about 42-ish tons the M10 is roughly the same weight of the 1970s-era Soviet main battle tanks. I'm well aware of the drawbacks those vehicles have, but it still leaves the impression that 42 tons should "buy" a bit more capability. Maybe if had an integrated and highly capable active protection system I would feel a bit different.

Did you mean UGVs? Have they demonstrated any of reasonable size able to be airdropped? That's going to be quite a jolt for all the electronics for sure. HMMWVs are great for what they are, but tracks are still a plus in some conditions. I'm just thinking if the Army isn't willing to go all-in on a dedicated airdrop-capable AFV like the M8 was, something along the general concept of the Wiesel series isn't a bad idea and could potentially open up more options.

Regarding the 105mm gus you mention five ammo types? I know there is APFSDS and HEAT with the fragmentation sleeve. I believe HEP (HESH according to Brits) is being phased out in favor of the new AMP shell in the works. What are the others? I believe there was 105mm APERS (flechette) once and maybe a more recent canister shell like they have for the 120mm. Is 105mm WP still around? I've always been an advocate for those, but I know the very notion of WP gets a lot of people up-in-arms because warfare is otherwise such a friendly and healthy activity for all involved.
 
Scott Kenny said:
NO IT WAS NOT.

Airdroppable was NOT part of the design brief!

Mission was exactly what was written on the tin: Mobile Protected Firepower. A sturmgeshutz. An assault gun. For those units that do not regularly operate with Abrams support. Like leg infantry. Take over an airport, fly a quartet of C-17s in each with an M10 inside, drive the M10s out the back.

As to the increased bridge capacity thing, a loaded HEMTT is just as heavy as the M10 is, if not heavier. The bridges out in the training areas should be adequate to handle the tracks. The places you might need to install newer bridges are where the M10s are going to be on the back of Heavy Equipment Transporters.
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Pretty much the vibe I'm getting. This thing is clearly intended to work closely together with infantry and deal with enemy positions and possible hostile IFVs and their infantry by slinging 105mm high-explosive or canister rounds at them. The lower weight is simply an advantage in terms of logistics, rather than a failed push to throw this thing out of the back of a C-17.

A 40t M10 will go to places that a +70t M1A2 SEP v3 just cannot reach. I could also imagine that the M10 could lend itself towards ease of maintenance in the field. It's based on an IFV chassis, no?

So yes, definitely more so StuG III or ISU-152 than M551 or M8. It also just makes sense, in the modern context I think? In the Russo-Ukrainian War tanks are very often utilized as assault guns, to a point where the Russians put mostly HE shells into their tanks. 125mm HE flying towards your position isn't pretty. And 105mm should already carry an adequate amount as well, certainly more explosive than HE rounds fired by IFVs. And other countries like China, India and Russia are also shifting to deploy lighter armored vehicles with comparatively big guns in the infantry support role (Type 15, Zorawar, 2S25M1). So that trend seems to be a real thing and not just a fad.

I can also see the overarching rationale behind it, an Abrams gets just as easily if not more easily immobilized and thus mission killed as a Booker. But the Booker can be recovered more easily. Add to that the ability to cope better with more difficult ground conditions and throw on APS and EW and you get yourself a vehicle that can closely support your infantry under various conditions while not lacking behind the M1 too much in most aspects except outright armor and firepower.
 
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Colonial-Marine said:
Did you mean UGVs? Have they demonstrated any of reasonable size able to be airdropped? That's going to be quite a jolt for all the electronics for sure. HMMWVs are great for what they are, but tracks are still a plus in some conditions. I'm just thinking if the Army isn't willing to go all-in on a dedicated airdrop-capable AFV like the M8 was, something along the general concept of the Wiesel series isn't a bad idea and could potentially open up more options.
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No, I mean UTVs as in Polaris MZR/RZR side-by-side four-wheelers (et sim)


Colonial-Marine said:
Regarding the 105mm gus you mention five ammo types? I know there is APFSDS and HEAT with the fragmentation sleeve. I believe HEP (HESH according to Brits) is being phased out in favor of the new AMP shell in the works. What are the others? I believe there was 105mm APERS (flechette) once and maybe a more recent canister shell like they have for the 120mm. Is 105mm WP still around? I've always been an advocate for those, but I know the very notion of WP gets a lot of people up-in-arms because warfare is otherwise such a friendly and healthy activity for all involved.
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Sabot, Canister/Beehive, WP Smoke, HE/HEP, and HEAT. (not necessarily in that order)
 
Colonial-Marine said:
Perhaps what is needed is less of a light tank for that, and more an updated tank on the German Wiesel weapons carrier concept. Light enough where you can even bring some in with some helicopters but armor protection against small arms and fragments. Some having autocannons, some missile launchers, and some with 81mm or 120mm mortars. These days you might want to have a variant dedicated just to being a mobile platform to send out small reconnaissance and kamikaze drones.
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FgerkPNWIAAdXFa.jpg
Chinese optionally manned light vehicle family (for air assault obviously~)

Personally I roll my eyes ever since SACLOS is made available to everyone, and more so for light formations. Airplanes are expensive, people really should save money and lives by providing good supply of quality guided munitions instead of relying on high velocity guns whose main purpose is cheap ammo. Imagine where all light formations get FOGM spam in the mid 80s and on..... (yes, use it on machineguns too, air ops are already so expensive)
 
shin_getter said:
View attachment 768464
Chinese optionally manned light vehicle family (for air assault obviously~)

Personally I roll my eyes ever since SACLOS is made available to everyone, and more so for light formations. Airplanes are expensive, people really should save money and lives by providing good supply of quality guided munitions instead of relying on high velocity guns whose main purpose is cheap ammo. Imagine where all light formations get FOGM spam in the mid 80s and on..... (yes, use it on machineguns too, air ops are already so expensive)
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I honestly question the sanity of anyone who these days would develop a platform meant to be dropped via aircraft or helicopter anywhere near combat operations. Especially in this day and age the likelihood of fat birbs like the C-17 or Y-20 getting anywhere close to the frontline, let alone behind it to drop off troops and their equipment is below zero. Again, one only has to look towards Ukraine, and what do we see? Ukrainian Antonovs and Ilyushins hide in Poland while Russia deploys their airlifters as far away from the frontline as possible.

The moment anyone fields something more than a MANPAD the concept of air assault dies a horrible and gruesome death. So compromising to minimize weight just to be able to deploy systems from an aircraft is just a bad trade off with little to now real world value in modern warfare. Strategic mobility is one thing, getting X amount of vehicles into an airlift and from point A to point B to be distributed further from there. That's realistic and has actual value. But thinking about throwing out glorified buggies in a hot war against a peer just seems unreasonable. And not worth accepting the heavy trade offs in my opinion.

Which is why, coming back to the main topic, the M10 luckily doesn't compromise too much just to be light, it's no Sheridan. However it would have been advantageous if two can go in a single C-17, because you can simply move more equipment quicker. Actual logistical benefits.
 
EmoBirb said:
However it would have been advantageous if two can go in a single C-17, because you can simply move more equipment quicker. Actual logistical benefits.
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Agreed. It's ... unfortunate that the M10 isn't 2-per-C17.

On the other hand, it also potentially means that you fill the rest of said C-17's cargo weight with ammo and fuel bladders for the M10, and offload all that stuff that way. I mean, sending 2x M10 plus fuel and ammo is probably 2x C-17 loads regardless of how you split it up.
 
Scott Kenny said:
Agreed. It's ... unfortunate that the M10 isn't 2-per-C17.

On the other hand, it also potentially means that you fill the rest of said C-17's cargo weight with ammo and fuel bladders for the M10, and offload all that stuff that way. I mean, sending 2x M10 plus fuel and ammo is probably 2x C-17 loads regardless of how you split it up.
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Perhaps, Alternatively related supplies could be moved via C-130s, I assume that would be possible. But yes, it is a missed opportunity and unfortunate, but it's not a deal breaker.

I mention it for the third time now, but when we look at the battlefield in Ukraine I think it becomes abundantly clear just how humongously important infantry and it's support is in a modern peer conflict. And the M10 is a proper, thoroughbred infantry support vehicles, a genuine assault gun and thus a more than worthy investment in my opinion. Especially as it also means that the M1 doesn't have to fill that niche as often, given it's inherent limitations due to weight and sheer dimensions. They can be utilized for operations more suited to their strengths.

To me the Booker is the ideal middle ground between the Abrams and Bradley, the future best friend of any infantry unit that works with them. I just wonder (and hope) that over time the unit cost will come down. Last time I read something about cost it was something absurd well beyond $10 Million.
 
shin_getter said:
Personally I roll my eyes ever since SACLOS is made available to everyone, and more so for light formations. Airplanes are expensive, people really should save money and lives by providing good supply of quality guided munitions instead of relying on high velocity guns whose main purpose is cheap ammo. Imagine where all light formations get FOGM spam in the mid 80s and on..... (yes, use it on machineguns too, air ops are already so expensive)
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Tanks(or not tanks, whatever)aren't about saving money, tanks are about engaging emplacements that can only be engaged directly, and often only open up when directly engaged.
It's a very straightforward solution to a problem: (1)whether you want to probe ground obstacles and machinegun bullets with bodies, and (2)since they're shooting at you - it is the most straightforward answer to shut them up.
There are other, more roundabout ways to solve a problem, but they take more time and coordination.

Pgms don't replace direct fire until and unless you basically forfeit direct attack as a way of conducting ground warfare.
Scott Kenny said:
On the other hand, it also potentially means that you fill the rest of said C-17's cargo weight with ammo and fuel bladders for the M10, and offload all that stuff that way. I mean, sending 2x M10 plus fuel and ammo is probably 2x C-17 loads regardless of how you split it up.
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I think plan was two combat-ready ones, off the ramp into the fight. Two empty one still fit (even ready ones do, but the problem is new rules).
And while in your two tank equation it works - if we deploy actual coe, plane requirement skyrockets (x2 -1 basically).
EmoBirb said:
So yes, definitely more so StuG III or ISU-152 than M551 or M8. It also just makes sense, in the modern context I think? In the Russo-Ukrainian War tanks are very often utilized as assault guns, to a point where the Russians put mostly HE shells into their tanks.
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Tank is an armored assault vehicle/obstacle breacher in the first place. Just more multi-purpose and not limited to single trick.
Which was always sort of ironic in all that "is m10 a tank" debate. In national classification - it is not, so it's right to call it MPF. For practical battlefield evaluation - absolutely, it's literally a medium tank; Chinese forward observer won't call fire mission on "those, wo wangji le tamen tamade cheng shenme, not-a-tanks".
Just not an MBT.
 
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