I was somewhat amused that a relatively inexpensive man portable weapon was ditched in favor of a behemoth that from what I understand takes three men and a good sized boy to crew. Plus it needed targeting software to make it work. Not impressed.
Unfortunately the role provided is only one of the issues under considerations. There are numerous organizational to fiscal considerations that come into play - everything from PY allocations and need to LCMM workload to shelf space for ammunition in ammo dumps. I've looked at a number of communications and divestment plans now for the Afghan era timeframe and there is a constant push - originating from DCDS at the L1s and from there downward - to make decisions on how to keep a status quo balance in all the other factors when trying to introduce a new capability.
Not wishing to sound smart here, but it was a whole different type and level of stupidity.
So what replaced Eryx
Yup.
Not a lot of adulting going on during that period.IMHO it starts with the group of operational functions (command, sense, act ...) That leads to categorizing army components into categories - this does "act", that does "sense" etc. That leads to the evaluation (in tight fiscal situations) of trying to see where there is overlap that can be rationalized by combining. The whole thing was then topped off by a major PY need for CMTC and some other roles, the current operational roles (Bosnia with a high rifle platoon, low arty and tank requirement). Before you knew it you had folks trying to carve out a role to stay relevant - tankers as "THE" direct fire bunch - combining MGS, ADATS and TOW UA; engrs as the construction guys for everything; arty as "ALL Things" indirect fire; and a logistics system unleashed as national support elements working out of FOBs. On the side you can throw in the attempts to get every sense function grouped under ISTAR and All-source intelligence centres.
You then bring in the concept of "building blocks" of a little act here, and a little sense there, and a slice of command over there. Before you know it you are building "tactical self sufficient units" (which morph into the "optimized battle group" - a set of preassembled building blocks) and JIMP brigades.
Like I said - a whole different level.
Don't mistake the concept of "to get something new you have to give up something old" with the concept of "When you give up something old we'll give you something new." The two are not synonymous.So what replaced Eryx
As it got removed without replacement. A better solution would have been to get a new 60mm Mortar, get the C-16 as a new vehicle mounted fire support capability, and if really needed fill the missing Erxy gap with the C-16 (which is also stupid - but better than what occurred with the Infantry in a 2:1 net loss (albeit Eryx wasn’t really anything other than a paper capability)
I don't go that far and I'm cynical as hell. I think a lot of folks were doing the best they could for the tribe they were with under very difficult circumstances. That. however, doesn't take the decision out from under being shortsighted and narrowly focused.
PYs are the currency of government. It's how the length of your d*ck gets measured. IMHO we tend to put many of those PYs into the wrong places - like Ottawa. You need admin staff to run programs. The question is how much are some of these programs needed. Dollars will get you donuts that when we talk PY cuts the PYs in the halls of Ottawa are protected and fought over harder than the ones a hundred, or a thousand, kilometres away. I always thought that the infantry should have given up a rifle coy instead of mortars and ATGMs but I wasn't there to watch the arguments. My guess is that there was some gunner and black hat support if it meant absorbing some of those responsibilities kept cuts from happening in their own camps. Gunners gave up over half of their guns for more and better FSCCs, FOOs, FACs, and STA in order to balance PYs.
Unfortunately true.
Agreed
I think you are 110% there -- given the fact that a Rifle Company is the easiest Company to replace, the Infantry Corps should have (IMHO) said Roger that - cut a Rifle Coy, and come up with a 70/30 plan to fill that Coy with the PRes. Cutting Combat Support Coy Platoons was incredibly dumb - and frankly if not needed immediately TOW/ADP, Mortars and Pioneers could all form a Rifle Coy if needed in a pinch if Cbt Spt roles where not immediately required. Heck Gunners and others have filled in for Rifle Coy's in the past...
At the end of the day I blame CCA and staff of the CA for the abject failure to sell the NEEDS of an Army to the rest of the CAF, DND and the Cdn Politicians.
Yup.Always remember that the defence budget is the single biggest discretionary budget that the government has to work with. They may hesitate to fire ten thousand people in DND but they won't hesitate to spout "I'll take one piece of paper, I'll take my pen, and I will write zero helicopters" or "We will not buy the F-35 fighter jet."
Death Udder
Yes and Maybe!
That right rear tire needs a bit of air. That is one whopper of a gun though - what is it?
I think your off-road performance may be a bit limited
When the squirrels laugh at your .22, that's what you bring out instead.
8" Howitzer M115 howitzer - Wikipedia
