Bushranger

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DropBear oops, brain fade 10/1/2004 6:13:30 AM

Don't bother replying to my rambling, as I have found out that the IMV will go to infantry batallions and 7th Brigade, in particular. Sorry about that ;) .

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Aussiegunner RE:Bushranger 10/1/2004 8:56:43 AM

The Bushranger's will replace the Perenties in 7 Brigade. ASLAV's are really an overkill and inappropriate for that role. They are designed as an armoured fighting vehicle, whereas the defense of Australia role of 7 Brigade, in which the Bushmasters would be employed, only require an armoured taxi. Their job is to get the troops into the general location of the enemy, without casualties from mines and ambushes, not to fight from or with support from the vehicle, like you get from an AFV. That being the case, a cheaper 4x4 is all that is needed. However, I've heard that the Bushie ain't that cheap. If the costings worked out to be more than an off the shelf armoured vehicle, I'd be really pissed off.

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gf0012-aust RE:Bushranger 10/1/2004 9:36:23 AM

I was less than impressed with the quality of the build and finish. Square headlights etc are not exactly field replaceable units - everyother manufacturer uses round ones so that you can steal one from a broken down car or truck if necessary. (although the Timor bushies were round headlighted) I don't suffer from cultural cringe, but that vehicle had a worse finish on it than some BMP's and BTR's I've seen. And it's a ferkin monster of a vehicle, It's bigger than an M113. If its designed to operate like the light horse, ie into battle and dismount, then fair enough, but you couldn't take it beyond a small arms benign environment. Plus 4 tyred vehicles??? 3 tyres = a mobility kill. Thats why 6 wheels are better, 8 wheels are better still. /rant off

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DropBear RE:gf 10/1/2004 9:40:06 AM

If you are refering to the Light Horse Reg. they are receiving ASLAVs, so obviously their role is different..

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Aussiegunner RE:Bushranger 10/1/2004 11:04:01 PM

The Light Horse is taking on a recon/escort/light fire support role nowdays, as opposed to their predominantly troop transport role with the M-113's. It is more correct to say the Bushranger has a motorised infantry role. "If its designed to operate like the light horse, ie into battle and dismount, then fair enough, but you couldn't take it beyond a small arms benign environment." Well that is predominantly what they want to do with it. Drive it around Northern OZ, looking for enemy special forces. They may decide to deploy it in a counter-insurgency op like Iraq one day, to act in a similar transport role to the armoured Hummers. Most light-armoured vehicle's can be destroyed by an RPG, so the fact that the Bushie can too isn't such a big deal. You just need to make sure you drive them too fast to hit and dismount and go into all round defence at the stop, so that the troops can return fire and aren't all killed if an RPG hits (standard proceedure for mounted ops). " Plus 4 tyred vehicles??? 3 tyres = a mobility kill. Thats why 6 wheels are better, 8 wheels are better still." Do they have flat runners? It would be good if they did, even as a retrofit, so that they can drive through an ambush. In any case, against small ambushes by insurgents, you have the rest of the platoon behind you to fight through them if they hit the lead vehicle, with the crew commander keeping the enemies head down with his MG while the crew of the disabled vehicle dismount. After that, its a matter of just changing to the spare.

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gf0012-aust RE:Bushranger 10/1/2004 11:17:13 PM

They're fitted with self pumpers, I would assume that they are kitted for runflats (or maybe thats too logical??)

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Aussiegunner RE:Bushranger 10/2/2004 12:56:50 AM

"They're fitted with self pumpers, I would assume that they are kitted for runflats (or maybe thats too logical??)" One would hope it wasn't too logical. In any case, runflat self-pumpers should address any concerns, in the role they are intended to fill.

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