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Subject: Hypothetical: Australia mechanised two thirds of the RAR during Vietnam
Volkodav    9/3/2009 8:58:44 AM
As the Vietnam conflict heated up Australia did what it had failed to do since WWI and mechanised the majority of their land force. This was achieved through equiping 4 through 9 RAR with M-113 FOV by adding an M-113A1, a Sergeant and a driver to each section and an M-113A1, Staff Sergeant and driver to PHQ. Each Coy gained a Support Platoon with 2 M-125 mortar carriers, 2 M-163 VADS and 2 M-551, as well as a tech support section. At Btn level a support Coy with a Platoon of M-108 SPG, a Recce PLT with M-551. 1 ARMD reorganised into The Armoured Regiment with its 3 squadrons expanded into battalions, 1 for each of to 3 two battalion brigades. !,2 and 3 RAR would be retained as light Infantry for use in the air assault role.
 
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neutralizer       9/4/2009 5:48:37 AM
Total waste of taxpayer's hard earned buck.  What's Vietnamese for "Target, Target, Target"?
 
Your score is zero out of 10 for understanding of COIN in jungle.
 
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Volkodav       9/4/2009 7:08:04 AM
neutralizer, sorry but it you who has scored 0 on your military history, all I have done is integrate the existing APC's already operated by RAAC into 2/3 of the RAR Btn's to improve interoperability and effectiveness of our forces and added an armoured firesupport component while retaining 1, 2 and 3 RAR as Light Infantry.
 
The RAR operated in close conjunction with armour from day one. Familiar with the Battle of Long Tan? What about Coral / Balmoral? The numerous cordon and search ops RAINF and RAAC conducted in close concert?
 
Basically mech inf can patrol and fight dismounted doing exactly what they did as LI but with the advantage of having organic vehicles provide rapid reaction and overwatch. For long range dismounted patrols and air assault there would still be 3 LI Btn's to rotate through.
 
Adding armour would save Australian lives, Centurions were brought to Vietnam at the request of Donald Dustan in light of his experience in the Pacific in WWII where tanks saved lives in Jungle warfare. The biggest issue with the Cents was there were never enough of them in theatre with the single SQN rotations forced by us only having a single regt / btn.
 
By all means disagree with my proposed structure but at least check your facts before taking such a condescending tone.
 
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Volkodav       9/4/2009 7:24:51 AM
neutralizer, sorry but it you who has scored 0 on your military history, all I have done is integrate the existing APC's already operated by RAAC into 2/3 of the RAR Btn's to improve interoperability and effectiveness of our forces and added an armoured firesupport component while retaining 1, 2 and 3 RAR as Light Infantry.
 
The RAR operated in close conjunction with armour from day one. Familiar with the Battle of Long Tan? What about Coral / Balmoral? The numerous cordon and search ops RAINF and RAAC conducted in close concert?
 
Basically mech inf can patrol and fight dismounted doing exactly what they did as LI but with the advantage of having organic vehicles provide rapid reaction and overwatch. For long range dismounted patrols and air assault there would still be 3 LI Btn's to rotate through.
 
Adding armour would save Australian lives, Centurions were brought to Vietnam at the request of Donald Dustan in light of his experience in the Pacific in WWII where tanks saved lives in Jungle warfare. The biggest issue with the Cents was there were never enough of them in theatre with the single SQN rotations forced by us only having a single regt / btn.
 
By all means disagree with my proposed structure but at least check your facts before taking such a condescending tone.
 
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