After the first combat tests of the new Medium Brigades produced dismal results, the Army (looking for places to save money) is studying a plan to cut the program from six brigades to three (all of them conversions of light brigades), and to cut the number of Stryker vehicles purchased from over 2,000 to about 1,000. This would save $4.5 billion. While the Medium Brigades can reach crisis areas quickly by airlift, they have too little combat power on the ground and cannot survive in a heavy tank environment. --Stephen V Cole