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Subject: Would it be feasible to mechanise 7th brigade?
Kirkzzy    6/19/2011 4:13:07 AM
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?
 
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Aussiegunneragain       6/20/2011 10:58:53 PM

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?

It would be feasable if the Government wanted to spend the money, but not a particularily good idea IMHO. Our forces should be geared towards light, airmobile infantry over mechanised and the current force mix is roughly appropriate if you consider that 7 Brigade is really a light infantry brigade with armoured SUV's. We aren't going to be replacing the Bushies any time soon, they have only recently been bought. The absolute priority for armour should be getting 1 Brigade into a modern tracked IFV, instead of it's clapped out M-113's.
 
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Kirkzzy       6/21/2011 9:44:35 AM


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?

It would be feasable if the Government wanted to spend the money, but not a particularily good idea IMHO. Our forces should be geared towards light, airmobile infantry over mechanised and the current force mix is roughly appropriate if you consider that 7 Brigade is really a light infantry brigade with armoured SUV's. We aren't going to be replacing the Bushies any time soon, they have only recently been bought. The absolute priority for armour should be getting 1 Brigade into a modern tracked IFV, instead of it's clapped out M-113's.

Agreed, the costs would be massive. I am slightly afraid however that the government may not have any long term plans to replace the M1A1.
 
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