APC Development and related topics.

[Suhiir]

Originally Posted by DRG

I was thinking more along the lines of adding a new "Mech Sec BFV-C" to 184 "Ind Mech Pl" ( also renationalized so it only shows up in the Pl) starting ?????? but this one would be all infantry with 2X 713 instead of 480+ ATGM team

What I don't know or missed at 3:47 am was how that changes the Co formation but I am sure someone will enlighten me.

That said the fact that Mech Inf Co is already maxed out makes this "interesting" ( Although..... I think I see a workaround )

I'm a bit late to the party but ...
Most of the USMC motor/mech formations make use of an infantry and a transport section because of the 10 unit/formation limit.
Can't say as I've ever tried them with the AI in control to see if it can actually load the transports tho.

[Suhiir]

Originally Posted by FASTBOAT TOUGH

An article on the ACV from earlier today that I just read a short time ago has led me to found out what became of the AAV.

AAV's are getting pretty long in the tooth (they were introduced in 1972) and most took a beating in Iraq/Afghanistan. They really haven't been used amphibiously (other then the occasional training) since they were introduced and since around 2003 till recently not even much amphibious training so crews/unit maintenance have gotten out of practice properly maintaining them for amphibious operations. And I imagine spare parts (particularly rubber hatch gaskets) are probably in very short supply due to the fact that they've been "about to be replaced" several times in the last 20 or so years I don't imagine acquiring/maintaining adequate stocks of replacement parts has been high on the bean counters priority list.

None of this is meant to excuse what's happened merely explain why it may have.

As our resident bubblehead can surely attest, anything going into and particularly under (as AAVs do when they drive off the ship and any time they're hit by any but the most mild wave) the water needs a lot of skilled maintenance on a consistent basis.

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

I MUST GET READY FOR WORK BUT QUICKLY THE ADF BOXER HAS JUST REACHED IOC AFTER COMPLETING BEACH LANDING OPERATIONS A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. IOC AS OF THIS PAST WEEK.

SOURCE SENT ELSEWHERE.

SORRY FOR CAPS-JUST WHERE MY KEYBRD. WAS SET.

GOTTA GO 5MINS AGO!!

REGARDS,
PAT

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

Well, I'm about an hour late but Happy Halloween! to the Greek Army those MARDER 1A3 IFV's were inducted (FOC) yesterday. Check last Para. for any "tweaks" that might be needed in regard to protection.
https://www.armyrecognition.com/defe...of_greece.html

Regards,
Pat

[MarkSheppard]

The Japan Ministry of Defense has announced today that Patria AMVXP 8x8 has been selected for the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force as their next Wheeled Armored Personnel Carrier 8x8 vehicle under the WAPC programme. The selection includes manufacturing licence of the vehicles in Japan, with a solid contribution to the local economy and technology development securing the supply and service in Japan. The Patria AMVXP 8x8 vehicles will be replacing the Type-96 8x8 Armored Personnel Carrier vehicles which are currently in service by Japan Ground Self-Defense Force.

https://www.patriagroup.com/newsroom...-defense-force

[DRG]

What we have now in the Japanese OOB is the Type 19 that was entered in 2018

http://www.military-today.com/apc/ne...se_8x8_apc.htm

Still digging to see what the Patria will be named. The "good news" is all these type APC's look alike and that's why it already uses a Patia based Icon and has the same armor ratings as the Patria

If they follow past conventions guessing it will be a Type 04..... Maybe Type 22.... maybe

In any event, it is 50/50 whether one will be issued before the end of 2025

[DRG]

German DPA news article translated:

I see I may need to make "adjustments" to the OOB......

It's the "affect vehicles in a special configuration" bit that is "interesting" as well as "turret defects" comment but especially.........."was only declared combat-ready last year"

The Bundeswehr started an exercise with 18 Puma infantry fighting vehicles, but after a few days none were operational. A letter is now causing a stir.

The Bundeswehr encountered serious technical problems during exercises with Puma infantry fighting vehicles for NATO‘s "spearhead" . During training with 18 combat vehicles, operational readiness dropped to zero within a few days, the “Spiegel” reported on Saturday. The magazine referred to a letter from the commander of the 10th Panzer Division, Major General Ruprecht von Butler, to the army leadership and the Ministry of Defence.

According to information from the German Press Agency, the maneuver took place at the armored force's target practice center and the letter has caused a stir in the Ministry of Defense since Friday. Because the new breakdowns affect vehicles in a special configuration, with which the Buttlar subordinate Panzergrenadierbrigade 37 is supposed to participate in the VJTV (Very High Readiness Joint Task Force) of the alliance from the new year. After reading the letter, the "Spiegel" reported a total failure. The last two "Pumas" that were still ready for action "on yesterday's shooting day after an hour and a half with turret defects" also failed, the general wrote.

Defects have never occurred "with this frequency".

According to the report, the electronics of the high-tech tanks in particular are vulnerable, and there was even a serious cable fire in the driver's compartment of one tank. The troops were already aware of the nature of the defects, the e-mail said, but they had "never occurred with this frequency before." The systems were only moved to shooting ranges in the North German lowlands and were "not overused" there. According to the assessment of the foreman of the affected company, which he considers very credible, the General writes, it can be assumed that the company will only be fully operational again in three to four months.

The Puma infantry fighting vehicle, which was plagued by numerous technical problems, was only declared combat-ready last year. The combat vehicle developed and produced by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH (RLS) had previously made headlines as a "breakdown tank".

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

At least the UK was smart (Though the Parliament had to step in on "behalf" of the MOD.) enough not to proceed with the AJAX (Another SDR decision on AJAX is supposed to be released in March 2023.) ), obviously I give the Germans too much credit.

If only Rommel or Gurdian was still around, this probably wouldn't have happened!?!

I think that your article post means a START date change if it only came into operational service last year. Might have something in my APC folder if needed.

Regards,
Pat

[DRG]

There is something even more buggered up about this than usual

FWIW Wiki's source claims "In service 2015–present" They have a photo captioned "A Puma of Panzergrenadier Battalion 33 during a live-fire exercise at Bergen-Hohne Training Area in 2016." but that article says it "was only declared combat-ready last year"

Wikis sources also claim "The Puma has been in service with the German Army since April 2015. 350 vehicles have been delivered as of August 2021. Originally 405 were ordered, but on 11 July 2012 the order was reduced to 350. In March 2022 the German Army secured financing for a second batch of 229 Pumas."

So IDK WTF it is

https://www.army-technology.com/projects/puma_tracked/

The Puma entered service with the German Armed Forces in April 2015 after going through the rigorous tests and completing the final acceptance test.

UNTIL I LEARN ANYTHING MORE DEFINITIVE AND VERIFIABLE THAT'S WHAT IT WILL BE IN THE GAME

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

I'm sure the PUMA issue is resolved to my mind when I see words like "evaluated", "testing", "operational testing" and similar after reading several articles on the stoppage of production on the PUMA.

Well, there's more than one PUMA.

The first has been operational for a few years now. The PUMA...
http://tank-masters.de/?page_id=2986

The current "troublemaker" is the PUMA JVTF/PUMA S1 with the first PUMAs to have started the upgrade process earlier this year.
http://tank-masters.de/?page_id=8685

Arby's might have the MEAT but I have the refs. plus, the E-MO- GEEZ!

Regards,
Pat