With current Land 400 plans looking at replacing the M-113, ASLAV and Bushmaster with a single platform, I was thinking does this sort of hint that the 7th brigade is moving towards mechanisation? If so would it be feasible to do what say the Netherlands is doing and have 2/3 of our forces heavy and the other 1/3 light? Model 7th brigade off of 1st and raise another armoured regiment, acquire more SPHs and attach one of the tiger regiments to it, as is the case with 1st brigade currently?
This would mean the Australian Army would be able to contribute much more forces to high intensity conflicts like Afghanistan or Iraq. With two squadrons of tanks and two battalions of infantry deployable would it be worth it? Or better yet, looking at what future challenges the ADF may face, would we be much better having what we have currently and having only 1/3 of our force mechanised?
What is the feasibility of doing this? Do we need it? |