Originally Posted by Sympathetic_Reaction

*Cough* March *Cough*

Good idea.

S_R,

that explaines it well and why, cheers............................

I still think that NOT having a small (8-12 ton) tracked chassis for use in LIGHT recce/battlefield taxi role is a poss mistake though, especialy for rugged/difficult terrain, weight considerations ect ect.......

I do miss working with a scorp................

5-10 years? What about Bulldog then? Thats older than me!
It just seems like a waste of money, the Israelis can make old vehicles last forever and we have done so in the past, why not now?

Originally Posted by ugly

5-10 years? What about Bulldog then? Thats older than me!
It just seems like a waste of money, the Israelis can make old vehicles last forever and we have done so in the past, why not now?

The bulldog had a pretty major upgrade and is probably operating over its design maximum weight now. But even so it's life is limited and keeping it going will cost more overtime than buying a new vehicle to replace it...it's just the payback isn't fast enough for people to stump up early.

Yes we can keep old vehicles running, keep patching them up add new electronics and weapon systems.....but in the end you are still stuck with a 30 year old chassis with new kit bodged in.

Is that the way we want to run things? perfectly fine during a WWII when resources were scarce and the make do and mend mentality ruled...but why should we run that during 'normal' circumstances?

Seriously Bulldog should have been replaced not upgraded, same with all the other 'upgrades' and UORs we have....most just cover the current need but have no scope for the future...so cost more in the long term.

FRES isn't a great example of how to go about buying new kit...but at least it will be new kit...in theory covering our current need and having the designed in capability for upgrades...so over the next 15 years will cost less than trying to keep old kit running and at the same time provide better capability.

S_R

I know you post good stuff S_R, but i wasnt in the INF long enough for brain death to set in to have to be told things three times..................

Ugly on the other hand :D :P

Cheers ya sheep sh@gger!

Oh the joy of being a mod!

Thanks for the edit Ugly...comp had a bit of a benny at me...

S_R

Pardon my civilian ignorance - but won't replacing an 8 tonne (at the most) vehicle with a 28 tonne (and it will only get heavier) one seriously compromise air portability and hence tactical and strategic mobility? Surely you can get 2 Scimitars in a Hercules, but 28 tonnes is over the payload of a C130J?

So in future we better count on getting a good few weeks notice of any sudden emergencies that call for a fast armoured recce, because it may take quite a while to drive them out from the UK to wherever in the world.....

Originally Posted by CivvyPete

Pardon my civilian ignorance - but won't replacing an 8 tonne (at the most) vehicle with a 28 tonne (and it will only get heavier) one seriously compromise air portability and hence tactical and strategic mobility? Surely you can get 2 Scimitars in a Hercules, but 28 tonnes is over the payload of a C130J?

So in future we better count on getting a good few weeks notice of any sudden emergencies that call for a fast armoured recce, because it may take quite a while to drive them out from the UK to wherever in the world.....

Thats why we are buying the A400 Euroturkey.

However, if the figures quoted in this thread are correct, the 37,000 kg capacity of the A400 will not be enough for even a single fully equipped FRES scout!