combatreform.org/AIR_MECH_STRIKE

1. The 21st Century
Environment
• Urbanization • Increased Access to
• Ethnic & Religious Technology
Conflict • Increased U.S. Reliance on
• Asymmetric Conflict Force Projection
• Simultaneous SASO • Reduced Warning Time
Operations • Joint, Combined, Multi-
• Weapons Agency Operations
Proliferation/WMD • Force Protection an
Imperative
U.S. Army Forces Must Be…
U.S. Army Forces Must Be…
Responsive --Deployable --Mobile --Versatile --Combat
Responsive Deployable Mobile Versatile Combat
Effective
Effective

2. The Need: Solve the Heavy vs. Light dilemma--
Make U.S. Army Forces Dominant for 21st Century
Operations
• Air Deploy Rapidly — One Brigade Combat Team in 96 Hours
• Be Lethal — Perform Successful Combat or Stability Operations on Arrival;
Panama, 1989 not TF Smith, 1950
• Win the First Engagement — Accomplish the Mission With Minimum
Personnel Casualties and Equipment Losses: 4th Generation warfare
• Achieve Tactical 3D/2D Mobility — Have the Tactical Mobility and Agility to
Conduct Decisive Operations Against a Mobile Enemy Force
• Sustain the Force — Conduct Sustained Operations With Minimum
Deployed CSS
Heavy Light
Deployability – +
Lethality + –
Survivability + –
Tactical Mobility + –
Sustainability – +
Can a Medium Weight Organization Answer the Need?
Can a Medium Weight Organization Answer the Need?

3. Missions of the BCT
• Rapidly Air Deploy Under a Division or Corps HQ as Part of a Joint
Force
• Prevent, Contain or Stabilize Crises Through Presence and Military
Operations
• Determine Favorable Outcome of Small Scale Contingencies (SSCs)
• Act as the Combat Force Guarantor in Security and Support
Operations (SASO) as Part of a U.S. or Multinational Force
• Participate, with Augmentation, in Major Theater Wars (MTWs)

4. Operational Requirements
for the BCT
Maneuver
Maneuver
• • Cross-Country 2D Mobility in All Terrain
Cross-Country 2D Mobility in All Terrain
• • Speed & Range to Maintain High Tempo of
Speed & Range to Maintain High Tempo of
Operations
Operations
Command & Control
Command & Control • AT Capability for Hard Targets and defeat
• AT Capability for Hard Targets and defeat
• • Common Operational Picture Enemy Armor in meeting engagements
Common Operational Picture Enemy Armor in meeting engagements
• • ABCS/Family of Systems • • Crew Protection Against Artillery, Mines and
ABCS/Family of Systems Crew Protection Against Artillery, Mines and
• • Enroute Mission Planning & Small Arms; off-road mobility to avoid ambush
Enroute Mission Planning & Small Arms; off-road mobility to avoid ambush
Rehearsal System • • Infantry-Heavy for Operations in Restrictive
Rehearsal System Infantry-Heavy for Operations in Restrictive
and Urban Terrain
and Urban Terrain
Intelligence
Intelligence
••Real Time Access to Joint ISR Systems
Fire Support
Fire Support
Real Time Access to Joint ISR Systems • • Target Acquisition Overmatch
••RSTA Squadron with UAV Capability Target Acquisition Overmatch
RSTA Squadron with UAV Capability • • Position Location & Target
Vital for CCIR Position Location & Target
Vital for CCIR Designation Capability
• Split-Base Access to National/Theater Designation Capability
• Split-Base Access to National/Theater • Digital Call-for-Fire
Intelligence • Digital Call-for-Fire
Intelligence
••Unattended Sensor Capability
Unattended Sensor Capability
Combat Service
Combat Service • • Optimize Counter Fire Capability
Optimize Counter Fire Capability
• 120mm Mortars Organic to CO/BN
Support
Support • 120mm Mortars Organic to CO/BN
• • Move Faster than enemy
Move Faster than enemy
• • Reduce Logistic Footprint
Reduce Logistic Footprint
• • Lighten the Load
Lighten the Load

5. The BCT in Deployment and Entry
Operations
Preparation & Predeployment Deployment
• Regular Cross-Training of
• Maneuver Battalions and EDREs OBJ
• Ammunition and Equipment Strategic
ISB
Tactical
• Uploaded and Staged
• Airlift Load Plans Reflect Unit
• Deployment Assault Packages • BCT Constitutes Division Lead Force
• Air Deploy on 18-Hours Notice • Maneuver Units in Platoon Packages
• by tactical airland into forward • BCT Augmented With Division Assets
• landing strips secured first by • According to METT-TC
• forced-entry units • Intermediate Staging Base (ISB) May Be
• Required
Entry Operations
• BCT May Be Initial Entry Force or Follow Forced-Entry Forces
• BCT Occupies and Expands Lodgement
• Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition (RSTA)
• Elements Operate Beyond Lodgement

6. The BCT in Defensive
Operations
BCT Expands the Lodgement
• BCT reinforces Assault entry force in • Provides Greater
Lethality and Mobility • UAV Plt Expands Area of
Surveillance
Lodgement • Enhances Full
Spectrum
• Mounted AFV Force Is Capable of Fast- Capability
• RECCE Troops
Paced Operations Obtain Info on
Operational
• Medium AFV platforms provide Lethality Environment
• RSTA Sqdn Provides
and Survivability Early Warning
– Operates Day/Night
• RSTA Operations Provide Security & – Develops Situation
Awareness
Situational Awareness
BCT Defends in Complex BCT Conducts Area Defense
Terrain •Economy of Force
•MAV Repositions •Defense of
Infantry Fighting
Positions
• Limited
Objectv
• 120mm Mortars Counter
• HIMARs Conducts Attack
Counterfire Provide Fire Support

7. The BCT in Offensive
Operations
Assigned & Supporting C4ISR BCT Employs Mobility, Speed &
Assets Provide Real-Time All Weather Capability to
Intelligence to Set the Conditions Enhance Maneuver, Achieving
for Decisive Operations Surprise
2D Mobility, Speed & Firepower Enhanced Protection, Range &
Allow Concentration of Forces Trafficability Facilitate Flexibility
to Overwhelm the Enemy and Promote Audacity
Cross-country
off roads

8. The BCT in Stability & Support
Operations
Combination of Armored Fighting Large Infantry Presence, Armored
Vehicles & Infantry Provides Mobility & ISR Assets Increase
Visible Deterrence & Facilitates Coverage of AOR
Transition to Combat
Precision Weapons Systems Add-on Armor Capability
Avoid Non-combatant Enhances Force Protection
Casualties & Collateral
Damage

9. BCT Design Principles
• Balanced Deployability and Battlespace 2D/3D Dominance
• Capable of Full-Spectrum Operations
• Organic Combat, Combat Support and Combat Service Support
• Organic Combined-Arms at the Company Team Level
• Robust Combination of C4ISR, Direct-Fire and Indirect Fire
Weapons
• Significant Tactical 2D/3D Mobility and Agility
• Combination of Active and Passive Force Protection Measures
• Decisive Action Achieved Through Mounted or Dismounted
Assault
• Reduced Sustainment Requirements
• Minimal In-Theater Personnel and Logistics Footprint
•

10. Initial BCT Organization
X
I II II I I II
HHC SPT
I I I
MI

11. AFV Platform Assessment
Non-Developmental Tracked Light Combat Vehicles
versus developmental LAV-III wheeled armored
cars
Wheels Tracks
IFVL
LAV-I I I MGS
M113A3
LAV 300
Strike 1: Too Heavy
for C-130 deployment to
FLSs M8 AGS
LAV AG M113A4 MTVL
Strike 2: Too large for
medium class deployment
4-6 per C-17, MGS too high
for airland/airdrop without
costly $ R&D
MEETS ALL BCT REQUIREMENTS
Strike 3: Not available NOW

12. Closing Brigade/BCT With CS/CSS Slice Over 5000 NM in 96 Hours
Deployment Comparison
X
II RAC: 13.5
Force XXI II C-17 Equiv
Infantry 479 C-17 Fleet: 230
Brigade
(M2 BFV Sorties
MECH)
II
X
II
Tracked
BCT 223-278 x C-17
Sorties
M113A3/4
and RAC: 7.8 FLS
M8 AGS C-17 Equiv
Fleet 133 Tracked
1025 x C-130 AFVs can fly
Sorties by C-130s
Tracked MAVs can into FLSs,
deploy using plentiful Heavier BFVs
C-130s and LAV-IIIs
RAC: 9.6
X C-17 Equiv cannot
(Armored Cars) Fleet : 164
LAV-III w/MGS 342 C- 17
LPT Sorties
RAC = Reception
Tracked BCT has Better C-17 or
Tracked BCT has Better C-17 or
Airfield Capacity C-130 Deployability than a LAV-III
C-130 Deployability than a LAV-III
wheeled armored car BCT
wheeled armored car BCT

13. General Situation
• Country Red Invades Blue with Armored Forces
• Orange Offers Intermediate Staging Base Landing &
Overflight Routes
• NCA Directs Deployment to Blue to Defeat Red and
Restore the Border
• DRB of 25th ID Deploys from Fort Lewis, Washington
Orange Blue Red
Cuidado
La Plata

14. Early-Entry Operations
• Brigade Deploys 5,000 Miles by C-17 to Cuidado
• Cuidado Airfield Capacity (MOG) Is Fifteen C-17 Aircraft
• Task Organization
– BDE HQ – MI Co
– 3X INF BN – ENG Co
– 1X RSTA SQDN – SIG Co
– 1X HIMARS BTRY – AT Co
– 1X FSB
– Upon Arrival in Cuidado, BDE Stages onto C-130 Aircraft and Deploys
500 Miles Into Assault Forward Landing Strip Vicinity La Plata . .
Assault Strip Capacity (MOG) Is Four C-130 Aircraft
Deployment Comparison
Tracked BCT Wheeled Car BCT C-17: 2¼ hrs. on the Ground
M113A3/4 + M8 AGS LAV-III C-130: ½ hour on the Ground
Airfield Sorties
Sorties Closure (hrs)
Closure (hrs)
Tracked M113A3/4 + M8
C-17 Airlift 223-278 58 (1) 342 67 AGS BCTs can fly into
forward battle positions,
C-130 Airlift 839 130(2) Not capable Not capable
LAV-IIIs cannot
(1)
Assumes sufficient C-17s, 2-1/4 hours on the ground, 12 hours flight time, and 4 hours to clear airfield
(2)
Assumes sufficient C-130s, 1/2 hour on the ground, 1.6 hours flight time, and 2 hours to clear airfield

15. BCT Combat Operations
• Brigade Occupies La Plata
• Enemy Stay Behind Forces in La Plata
Engage Brigade with Small Arms, RPG & AT
Mines
• Infantry Battalions Begin Clearing Operations
Force Survivability
Small-Arms RPG A.T Mines MGS Ready 105mm Rounds
Tracks High High High Dismounts/Carrier
Wheels Low Low Low LAV-III 9 LAV LPT 8 (Must stop to shoot)
M113A3 11 (+ 18%)
M8 AGS 21 (+ 150%)
A4 MTVL 15 (+ 40%)
Tracks Provide Increased Force
Tracks Provide Increased Force
Survivability and Combat Power
Survivability and Combat Power

16. “FIRST BASE”: THE U.S.
ARMY ALREADY HAS
THOUSANDS OF 11-TON
M113A3-type TRACKED AFVs
IN SERVICE/STORAGE TO
FORM INTERIM BRIGADE
COMBAT TEAMS! THAT ARE:
C-130 AIR-TRANSPORTABLE
COMBAT-PROVEN UNDER ALL CONDITIONS!
*Vietnam
*Panama
*Entebbe
*East Timor
*U.S. Army Europe IRF

17. U.S. ARMY EUROPEAN COMMAND
“TRANSFORMS” ITSELF TO C-130 AIR-
DEPLOYABILITY IMMEDIATELY WITH
EXISTING M113A3 GAVIN TRACKED
AFVs, January 2000
"The Army is a learning,
thinking, adaptable
organization,"
General John M. Keane
U.S. Army Vice Chief of
Staff
www.hqusareur.army.mil/htmlinks/
www.geocities.com/equipmentshop/m113a3setaf.htm

18. “SECOND BASE”: U.S. ARMY
11-TON M113A3 and M8
Armored Gun System type
TRACKED AFVs ARE
ALREADY
82d Airborne TESTED/CERTIFIED:
Division
C-130 PARACHUTE AIR-
DROPPABLE
FACILITATES 3D BATTLEFIELD MANEUVERS!

19. “THIRD BASE”! M113A3/4s are available NOW for
units to be made combat-ready as U.S. Army
European Command has done with its Immediate
Ready Force (IRF); BILLIONS SAVED can be used to
upgrade M113A3/4-M8 AGS type vehicles to exceed
IBCT requirements
Remote
weapon
station and Rubber, single-piece “Band-
squad Tracks” for low-vibration,
leader low-noise, no maintenance,
displays no HETs, light-on-third-
world-roads, high road
speeds
Applique armors to defeat
Rocket Propelled Grenades
(RPGs), autocannon fire
without cross-country
mobility loss, gunshields

20. “BASES LOADED”! M113A3/4s can be heli-
transported by CH-47Ds
101st Airborne (Air
Assault) Division
Maximizing tracked vehicle
weight/volume efficiency, Army
CH-47D/F Chinook helicopters
can air-transport M113A3/4s
over mines, obstacles, avoiding
road ambushes as the British
Army did with its Scimitar light
tanks to be the first NATO force
into Kosovo in 1999.
British Army Air-Mech into
Kosovo
FACILITATES 3D TACTICAL BATTLE MANEUVERS!

21. “SLUGGER AT BAT”: M113A3 /4 Infantry
situational awareness, security and
firepower by ability to fight mounted or
dismounted if the situation dictates...
M8 AGS can shoot-on-the-move (LAV-III MGS
must stop to fire) to kill enemy tanks as well as
blast buildings, bunkers, dug-in positions

22. “HE IS A CLUTCH HITTER”:
M113A3/4 M8 AGS Tracked Mobility
to advance in the face of enemy fire
Tracks
overcome
fire and
obstacles...
LAV-III’s
Rubber-tired
Wheels
vulnerable!
“Run-flats” at 5mph for 5
miles no life insurance in
combat

23. “HE HAS BEAT THE ODDS”:
TRACKED VEHICLES ARE FAR
Tracks pull MORE 2D CROSS-COUNTRY
wheels out MOBILE THAN WHEELED
from the ARMORED CARS TO AVOID
mud…save ROAD-SIDE AMBUSHES, MINES,
them from road
ambush... OBSTACLES!
Tracks swim, fight, move
by land, sea or air!

24. Air-Mech Vehicles = High
Terrain Agility
Terrain Agility Formula
Terrain Agility Formula Cliffs, Swamps &
Vehicle
Vehicle Tight Urban Areas
Width X Length X Weight
Width X Length X Weight
Divided by Surface PSI
Divided by Surface PSI
les
All-Terrain
*Smaller is better
*Smaller is better ic
eh rban
h-V t & U
X/Country, Light Forrest
ec rres
Wide Urban Terrain
r-M s, Fo in
Roads &
Tank Trails
Ai ou rra
Valley Floor
ain Te
nt
M ou
HEAVY AFVs

25. “WHEN THE GAME IS ON THE LINE”:
TRACKED VEHICLES ARE ACTUALLY
LIGHTER AND 28% MORE WEIGHT/VOLUME
EFFICIENT FOR AIR-TRANSPORT THAN
WHEELED ARMORED CARS!
(Official U.S. Army Fort Knox power point slide)

26. Tracked Vehicles are the “Stealth Fighters” of
future ground combat
* Tracks can fully exploit C4ISR situational awareness via
terrain cover & concealment using off-road cross-country
travel through vegetation to remain undetected/targeted by
the enemy; maximum 2D agility
* Tracks can avoid likely enemies on roads/trails with brush-
busting, obstacle crossing, x-country (omni-directional 1-60
mph) mobility and 100-500 mph aircraft transportability: 3D
agility
* Tracks have lower silhouettes than wheels, blending with
the terrain/vegetation; masked from visual, infared detection
by applique camouflage
* Existing Tracked AFVs are simple to convert to hybrid
electric drive and band-tracks to operate silently cross-
country or on roads at high speeds to achieve surpise
* New Tracked AFVs can be made out of non-metallics to be
invisible to ground surveillance radars, furthering the
stealth synergism

27. (Official U.S. Army TACOM power point slides)
BAND TRACK
System Approach
Continuously molded rubber
Integrated drive mechanism
Aramid & polyester lateral reinforcement
Steel cord longitudinal reinforcement
Plastic sprocket and idler

28. 15 TON BAND TRACK

30. PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
• Developed band track for 12 ton vehicle
• Durability tested summer 1997 - YPG (2908 miles)
• Developed improved band track for 15 ton vehicle
• Performance tested summer 1998 - YPG
• Acoustic & IR test summer 1998 - Camp Grayling, MI
• Projectile & mine blast tested summer 1998 - APG
• Development of band track for 25 ton vehicle is ongoing

31. Applique visual and Forward
Looking InfaRed (FLIR) camouflage
kits available NOW off-the-shelf
*Provisions for
camouflage net
poles like Warrior
MICV
*Thellie strips
*Heat retention
coverings
*Dust skirts

32. The Hybrid-Electric M113A3 LIVES
TODAY!
Official U.S. Army TACOM power point
slide
Note: in operational M113A3s we suggest batteries placed
outside left/right of the hull under applique armor tiles

33. Hybrid-Electric Drive M113A3s ready NOW!
Official U.S. Army TACOM power point
slide

34. United Defense
M113A4 Hybrid
Electric Drive
AFV

35. “THE TYING AND WINNING RUNS ARE
ON BASE”: Tactics, Techniques and
Procedures already in place to support
M113A3/4 and M8 Armored Gun System
(AGS) operations
FM 17-18 8 March 1994 FM 7-7 March 1985
www.adtdl.army.mil/cgi- www.adtdl.army.mil/cgi-bin/atdl.dll/fm/7-
bin/atdl.dll/fm/17-18/f1718.htm 7/toc.htm
Read them online at the U.S. Army Library web site!

36. 1. M113A3/4s-M8 AGSs ARE
USAF C-130 transportable
2. M113A3/4s-M8 AGSs ARE
“Medium-weight” as per SSI
Aeromotorization report; 4-6
"fly light, fight per USAF C-17
heavy" 3. M113A3/4s, M8 AGSs, RFVs,
CSVs ARE available NOW for $
$$ BILLIONS less than LAV-IIIs
“A FAST BALL HIT DEEP”!
The U.S. Army needs only to upgrade
existing vehicles and buy a small number
of new vehicles to meet its requirements
and gain 3D warfighting capabilities!!!
“A GRAND SLAM FOR
AMERICA!”