hellfish

http://www4.army.mil/ocpa/read.php?story_id_key=9467 Stryker teams train with new vehicles By Jason Kaye Fort Lewis Northwest Guardian FORT LEWIS, Wash. (Army News Service, Aug. 29, 2006) – A long wait is over for Stryker Mobile Gun System (MSG) crews of the 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division. The 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry, received its complement of MGS vehicles last month after more than a year of waiting. They are the first vehicles to be fielded in the Army. “I think its going to give the infantry a whole new dimension of what they can do. Armor and infantry have kept each other at arm’s length for years and years," said Sgt. 1st Class David Cooper, an MGS platoon sergeant with B Company, 2-23 Inf. "We’ve got some growing pains, but once we get out there and they see what we can do, we’re going to be everybody’s friend.” Each infantry company is slated to receive three vehicles, though crews don't expect to operate together except on rare occasions. The vehicles carry crews of three, and are equipped with a 105 mm main gun and a state-of-the-art fire control system. The MGS also has an onboard coaxial machine gun that’s fire controlled. “You can literally shoot smiley faces with it at 900 meters,” said Cooper. “Even minus the big gun we can give the infantry a lot of support.” The 105 mm is capable of firing four types of rounds: SABOT, a depleted-uranium armor-piercing round; HEAT, high-explosive anti-tank; HEP, high-explosive plastic; and a canister round. The rounds are loaded using a hydraulic auto-loader in the rear of the vehicle. The HEP and canister rounds give Stryker units new capabilities, especially in urban areas. The HEP can blow holes in reinforced concrete walls, but unlike the rounds from an Abrams, won’t continue through the target and into surrounding buildings. The canister provides as effective anti-personnel capability. “The vehicle’s basic role is to support the infantry. It’s not there to take on tanks or go toe-to-toe in the wide-open desert like we did with the Abrams,” said Sgt. 1st Class William Ozmet, an MGS instructor from Fort Knox, Ky. “Its primary function is blowing a hole in the wall or blowing up bunkers.” Over the past year, the crews have been training with TOW-ITAS Humvees or other Stryker variants. Finally having the vehicles gives the crews a chance to delve into training. “I can actually start focusing on our training, both on our mission tasks and working with the infantry,” said 1st Lt. Christopher Lilley, the MGS platoon leader in B Co. The MGS also comes equipped with training software that allows Soldiers to train on various engagements in their own vehicles, instead of going to a simulator somewhere else. Once the 4th Bde. completes training, instructors from General Dynamics Land Systems will move on to equip and train Soldiers in Hawaii and Pennsylvania. Training for those units may change according to lessons learned here, but the vehicle itself is expected to remain mostly unchanged. “I’m confident that this will turn out to be a successful piece of equipment for us, the infantry and the Army,” said Lilley. B Co., 2-23 Inf. Soldiers, from left, Spc. Bill Baehr, Sgt. Detroy Hightower, 1st Lt. Christopher Lilley and Pfc. Dustin Blake get training on the Stryker Mobile Gun System from James Spicer, an instructor from General Dynamics Land Systems. Jason Kaye

If BFC didn't hold such disdain for "What Ifs" I'd look forward to T-80s, T-90s and BMP-3s in an expansion pack.

The EU nations are starting to announce their force packages for the Lebanon mission. I'll post them here as they come up because they might be indicative of what we might see in an expansion pack or two for CMSF. Spain will send to LIBANO the BRIMAR 900 to 1000 soldiers. The BRIMAR, with headquarters in San Fernando, Cadiz, it is composed by a Unit of Headquarters, two battalions of Disembarkation, a Battalion Mechanized of Disembarkation, a Group of Artillery of Disembarkation, a Unit of Special Operations, a Group of Support of Services of Combat and a Group of Special Weapon. Between his material emphasize the vehicles of high tactical mobility Hummer, armored vehicles Mowag Pirahna, vehicles of amphibious assault, missile launcher counter car TOW II, self-propelled howitzers and anti-aircraft missile launchers Mistral. LD (EFE) Sources of the Department of Defense have confirmed that the holder, José Antonio Alonso, turned instructions in order that they begin the preparations of the unfolding of the military quota in the Lebanon, formed for effective of the Brigade of Marina's infantry (BRIMAR). Also it he ordered to the Brigade of the Legion (BRILEG) that it he, should do the own thing since this military body will realize the first relief to the infantes between October and November. Though still the concrete numbers are not known, Spain might send to the zone between eight hundred and thousand soldiers. France * HQ (Brigade-level, from 2e Brigade Blindée) * Two mechanised infantry companies (AMX 10P AFVs) from 1er Régiment de Marche du Tchad (1er RMT) * Leclerc MBT squadron from 6-12e Régiment de Cuirassiers * Artillery battery (AUF1 SP arty) from 1er Régiment d'Artillerie de Marine * Close range air defence section (from Artillery Brigade) * Cobra radar section (from Artillery Brigade) * Logistical support unit Total: c. 900 troops by 15th September. More to follow. Currently, elements of the French 2e Regiment Etranger du Genie are in Lebanon. For the record, I'd give my firstborn to Steve if he lets me play with the Foreign Legion.

The Soviets used to use Tarkus as a base too. That's not exactly new. I still have doubts that Syria ever got any of this equipment. Can someone fire up Google Earth and check it out real quick?

I don't think Russia would be able to get significant ground forces to the region in time for any war. They might have a marine battalion and some service troops at the base, but that's not much of a deterrent or warfighting force. Russia would have too much to lose in a shooting war with the US, even if it was confined to Syria.

I don't think anything came of the first article. And the Russians, if they were really to be based in Syria, wouldn't get in the way of the US in a shooting war.

One of my favorite authors.

I'm reminded of the recent work the 3rd ACR did in Tal Afar - they operated in small, disbursed units within the city and had astonishing success. When the 1st AD replaced the 3rd, things started going to **** again.

It was loss of unit cohesion, as I understand it. Enlisted served for a year and officers often served only six months before being transferred to a staff job. But you're right - I think keeping units permanantly in Iraq with a minimum of personnel turnover would work best, but I don't see that ever happening. SF kind of work like that - the teams are often kept intact for long periods of time and specialize in certain regions.

Isn't that what they tried in Vietnam?

The only country that could meet that definition is, IMHO, China. I'd love to see a China vs US game, even if I don't think we'll actually go to war anytime soon. Just an interesting mix of units and weapons and doctrines.

I've actually been wondering if it might be more useful to take a page out of the Rhodesian COIN book - especially in the rural areas - and utilize small teams that can rapidly be reinforced when they come into contact. It still feels like we're often using bulldozers to run over anthills in Iraq - maybe we should think about small, mobile teams who "own" land that they always operate on. Say, one rifle squad for 10 square miles. I applaud the Brits for at least trying to break the FOB mentality and try something new. Maybe it'll work?

Israel isn't using Strykers if thats what you mean. They did evaluate them, however. They still use M113s and tank based APCs. </font>

Israel isn't using Strykers if thats what you mean. They did evaluate them, however. They still use M113s and tank based APCs.

I'd be happy to see an E-100. Why not?

Recovery of aircraft is done in combat.

Yeah, the Bradley. The Stryker is just an APC, its not an IFV.

That brings up another question - will battalion/company/platoon level UAVs be modelled?

I'm sure the US would be happy for the chance to stomp on Chavez - just like Grenada they may not even ask for permission to liberate the island.

I think it'd be fun to have the Russian VDV included in a European module just to see how they'd fare with similar forces in similar circumstances. And FWIW - there has been some paranoia about Venezuela actually taking Aruba and some of those other islands, as there is a belief that the Dutch would be largely incapable of retaking them.

Pfffffff. WWII is so passe.

IIRC they placed another order earlier this year for something like 40 T-90 tanks. But overall I think you're right - they're investing in intervention forces. Besides, the T-80s they've got now are more than adequate for any conventional threat they may face. Most of their money seems to be going into nuclear weapons, though - probably because thats the easiest and best deterrent to trouble they can afford now. Russia is actually pretty flush with cash at the moment, but I don't think the Army is at the top of the food chain.

Here you go: http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/russia/2006/russia-060713-rianovosti01.htm

I like the whole list, save for the mine dogs. I'll never buy a game with exploding dogs.

The Thor. It's in DropTeam already.