The real state of Marine armor.

Let me give you a real deal 100% view of where Marine Corps armor is currently.  Above you see the EFV.  It was part of a plan that was developed by Marine Corps theorist for a new concept of operations that would see Marines launching assaults from over the horizon at lightly/undefended parts of shoreline, conducting the mission and either withdrawing or continuing on to a new target.  High water speed was necessary in order to keep the Infantrymen from wearing down...10 hours in the water in the back of an AAV is not what you want your attacking force to face before an assault.  It carried a 30mm Bushmaster capable of defeating other IFVs and their was talk of adding a "Trophy" type system to protect it from enemy anti-tank guided missiles.

It was the future.

It got canceled.  In hindsight (my opinion here..for what its worth), the thing should have been canned five years into the program.  If General Dynamics couldn't make it work or give the inkling of success then we should have walked away.  As it is, we stayed.  WE pumped millions...billions of dollars of taxpayer money into the vehicle...and on the cusp of success we discovered that it costs too damn much (HELLO F-35!  Love ya, but if you're gonna break the bank then see ya!).  Meanwhile.  We have wars to fight.  Meet the MTVR.

The MTVR is the replacement in the Marine Corps for the old 5-ton truck.  Its also the prime mover of the M-777 Howitzer.  Its suppose to be relegated to operations behind the lines moving cannons and doing the boring but necessary work of transporting supplies from here to there.  It didn't quite work out that way and despite all the banging that I do on Oshkosh, they built a winner here.  Its the most unheralded yet most important vehicle in the Marine Corps today.  It has outstanding mobility, it can climb like a billy goat, it can tow a locomotive and it can serve as a surrogate troop transport.

This brings us to the JLTV project.  This vehicle will provide transport for at least a portion of the Marines infantry.  Why the Marine Corps is so wedded to a project that will only provide a small portion of the required lift, will cost more than an upgraded (properly upgraded to include armor, suspension and engine) Humvee and will introduce an entirely new supply chain is beyond me.

Many have questioned the decision to proceed with a buy of around 5000 instead of simply upgrading the entire Humvee fleet but it appears the decision has been made.  HQMC has never justified the thinking behind this project, they simply state that its a priority Marine Corps acquisition.

Above you see the SuperAv and the Havoc.  These are the real candidates for the MPC contest and could start production quickly.  The problem?  The project is being placed on hold awaiting the outcome of the decision regarding the Amphibious Combat Vehicle.  Both vehicles have been tested in the surf, both are capable, one is combat tested --- in essence, the Marine Corps has a bird in hand.  Did I say that the program was delayed awaiting a decision on the ACV.  Did I tell you that its been delayed at least twice since the EFV was canned?  Did I also tell you that the current Commandant promised to drive a production version of the ACV before he left office?  Yeah I still believe in Santa Claus too.

All this brings me to the last vehicle in this roundup.

The LVTP-7A2 (which should be the vehicle's proper designation) or the AAV as the Marine Corps now calls it.

This 40 plus year old vehicle has been gutted, upgraded, had armor slapped on it thats been around since the late 80's (does anyone even make EEAK anymore?) been subject to a frankenstein suspension lift (thank you US Army for allowing us to borrow the guts from the Bradley) and RUMOR has it that we're looking at MORE OF THE SAME.

The network is telling me that the game plan is to once again strip, rip and rebuild these vehicles, up-engine, up-suspension (you get my meaning), add more powerful thrusters, a new weapons package, SEND IT OUT TO THE FLEET AND RENAME IT ACV!

Quite honestly I'm hoping that my source for this information is smoking crack. The idea that we have the option of MPC sitting in front of us and will default to the ACV makes no sense.

The vacillation thats occurring at HQMC is telling though.  The numbers have been crunched on the ACV at least 3 times according to my count and that excuse is getting old.

If you're wondering why I'm beginning to sour on the F-35 then this should explain it.  We have mortgaged our future for the wing.  When some grunt is lying in the mud trying to hold his intestines in and crying for his mother we can all point to this time and lay the blame at the feet of leadership.  He's gut shot because his vehicle couldn't provide fire support.  His vehicle couldn't provide fire support because it couldn't make it to the objective.  It couldn't make it to the objective BECAUSE SOME DUMBASS THOUGHT IT WISE TO CONTINUE TO UPGRADE A VEHICLE THAT IS OVER 40 YEARS OLD!  

We wouldn't continue to upgrade 40 year old aircraft (the exception being the B-52..but there is always an exception) so why are we willing to do it with our Armored Fighting Vehicles?