In contrast with what you Fighting against severely limited budgets, may have heard or read, branch favoritism, and even personal attacks ARMORwill continue pub- by other "professionals," these dedicated sol- lication. Ourjournal isthe diers put together the foundations of a com- oldest continuously pub- bined arms force that, in fact, has become the lished branch journal in cornerstone for modern warfare. Their dedica- the United States Army, tion and that concept met the test, both of time and thanks to the efforts and of the battlefield. Their acts of selfless of theTRADOC Command- service deserve our study. er, the Armor Center Com- mander, the President of the Armor Associa- But there are other lessons too. One of the tion, the Deputy Chief of Staff for Doctrine at best things that America has been able to do TRADOC, and his staff, this magazine will over its history isdemobilize. Wedid that with continue providing a forum for the discussion a vengeance after WW I. The Army's budget of mobile warfare and our doctrine. So rest was severely limited during the period of assured that you subscribers will continue to 1920-19 40. America had helped to win the receive each issue of ARMOR. "war to end all wars." There were many Mobile warfare is not a new concept; since people who actually believed that we really the early Egyptians first used chariots on the didn't need an armed force. Being a soldier, a battlefield, military men have been intrigued sailor, or a marine wasn't "in style,"and even with mobility on the battlefield. However, many professional soldiers of the Army be- armored -and specifically, mechanized war- lieved that they could simply go back to the fare - is a relatively new concept. As I way of life before WW I: border duty in the mentioned in the last issue of ARMOR. we Southwest, polo matches, formal balls and begin to publish in this issue MG Bob Grow's banquets, and the political intrigues of a account of the establishment of the United nation finding its way into the middle of the States Army's Armored Force. Many of you Twentieth Century. But there were others may believethat Armor just naturallygrew out who didn't view the world that way. of Cavalry. That belief is simply not true. The experimentation, the birth, and the growth of They could see that preparing for the next the Armored Force was a traumatic experi- war, or the eventuality of one, was their duty ence for those who took part in it, and there as defenders of their great nation. Among that are many lessons we can take from that story. group of soldiers were those who came to- I The men who had the vision of a combined gether at Camp Eustis, and later at Camp arms, mobile force on the battlefield came Knox, to form what we now call Armor. They from many backgrounds. They were infantry- invented ways to train when they had few men, cavalrymen, artillerymen, signalmen, soldiers, little money, and a paucityof support engineers, members of ordnance, quarter- from the rest of the Army. They built a post, masters, and dedicated civilians who saw that now known as the Armor the time for mechanizing the United States Center, and they estab- Army had come. These men essentially placed lished a doctrine. We owe their careers on the line for that vision. Most them a great debt of of the rest of the Army viewed these men as thanks, but we also owe "mavericks." They had left their branches for them our own dedication this "new-fang led" thing ca Il ed mec haniza- to Armor, to combined tion and for something that, in the belief of arms, to the selfless ser- many professionals of the time, the Army vice that is the hallmark could not afford nor would ever work on the of loyalty to our country. - battlefield. But this sort of criticism did not GPR stop these visionaries. Magazine Staff FEATURES Editor-in-Chief MAJOR G. PATRICK RITTER 10 Winning the Meeting Engagement Managing Editor by Major David Ozolek JON T. CLEMENS Assistant Editor 16 Ambush! ROBERT E. ROGGE by Captain Andrew F. DeMario Production Assistant VIVIAN THOMPSON 18 What Infantrymen and Tankers Need to Know Contributing Artist About Sewing as Armored Cavalrymen SFC ROBERT TORSRUD by Captain John N. Lesko, Jr. 22 Part I: The Ten Lean Years United States Army Armor School by Major General Robert W. Grow, USA, Retired Commandant MG THOMAS H. TAlT 31 T-80: The Soviet Solution Assistant Commandant by Captain James M. Warford BG PAUL E. FUNK Deputy Assistant Commandant 36 Cavalry and the tight Division COL CLAUDE L. CLARK by Captain Mark 6. Chakwin Chief of Staff COL RALPH R. WOLFE 38 What Would You Do: Command Sergeant Major Delay in Sector: Part Three of Three Parts CSM JOHN M. STEPHENS by Captain John Ballantyne, IV Maintenance COL GARRY P. HIXSON 40 The Two-Man Tank: An Idea Whose Time Has Come Command and Staff COL ROBERT D. HURLEY by Lieutenant Colonel Linwood E. Blackburn Weapons LTC DAN E. DETER DEPARTMENTS Training Group LTC WILLIAM R. BROWNLEE. II 2 Letters 7 Commander's Hatch NCO Academy/ Drill Sergeant School 8 Master Gunner's Corner CSM LOWELL E. DICKINSON 9 Recognition Quiz 44 Armor Commanders List Evaluation and Standardization COL ROBERT A. KORKIN 45 Professional Thoughts 47 Recognition Quiz Answers Training and Doctrine COL CLAUDE W. ABATE 48 Regimental Review 50 The Bustle Rack Combat Developments 51 Books CDL DONALD SMART Units ARMOR magazine (iSSN'0004-2420) is CORRESPONDENCE: Address all 194th Armored Brigade published bi-monthly by !he U.S. Army Armor correspondence to U.S. Army Armor Center, Center, 4401 Vine Grove Road, Fort Knox, ATTN. ATSB-MAG, Fort Knox, Kentucky, 401 21. COL SAMUEL D. WILDER, JR. Kentucky 401 21. Unless otherwise stated, (Telephone. AUTOVON 464-2249/2610 or 1st Armor Training Brigade material does nol represent policy, thinking. or commercial (502)624-2249/2610.) COL ROBERT B. FRANKLIN. JR. endorsement by any agency of the U.S. Army. SECOND class postage paid at Fort Knox. Use of appropriated funds for printing of this Kentucky and additional mailing office. 2d Armor Training Brigade publication was approved by the Department of COLDOMINIC W. RUGGERIO the Army 6 January 1984. ARMOR is not a copyrighted publication but 4th Training Brigade may contain some articles which have been COLJOHN N. SLOAN copyrighted by individual authors. Material SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Individual which is not under copyright may be reprinted if subscriptions to ARMOR are available through Directorate of credit is given to ARMOR and the author. the U.S. Armor Assocation, Post Office Box Reserve Component Support Permission to reprint copyrighted materi- 607, Fort Knox, Kentucky 401 21. Telephone al must be obtained from the author. (502)942-8624. Director ARMOR'may be forwarded to military personnel Domestic: $1 6.00 one year; $27.75 two years; COL JAMES E. DlERlCKX whose change of address is caused by official 539 50 three years. Foreign: $23.50o ne year; $36.75 two years. Single copies, $2.50. orders (except at APO addresses) without payment of additional postage. The subscriber must notify the postmaster. January-February 1987 Vol XCVI No. 1 US- 467-970 An Author Responds ferent cannons are discussed (Soviet (Ed. Note: ARMOR is continuing the 122-mm and 130-mm vs. Swedish 105- HERITAGE series with the first of four Dear Sir, mm and West German 90-mm) the repre- parts of "The Ten Lean Years'' in this I am writing in response to Mr. Bur- sentative target must be analyzed careful- issue.) niece's letter that appeared in the July- ly. If a general lookover is given to this August issue of ARMOR. I would like first target it could appear as old as theT-62. If to thank Mr. Burniece for commenting on this comparison is given the attention it Two for the Beret my letter, and for pointing out what could obviously deserves (i.e. ITOW, TOW2, have been a popular misunderstanding HOT2, and the 120-mm tank gun), the Dear Sir: concerning my own comments. Any dis- smaller size of the Western cannons be- I recently read an article written by SFC cussion involving the M46 130-mm gun comes all the more apparent. The NATO Stephen D. Kennedy. USASMA, in which or its 152-mm successor must include armor targeted by a vehicle like the "IT- he addressed the issue of the black beret some data about indirect fire. The ac- 152" and the Soviet armor targeted by a we tankers used to wear. Sir, I support curacy of indirect fire against "antitank vehicle like the Kanonenjagdpanzer, are SFC Kennedy's thought 100 percent. positions" or "softer skinned antitank ve- separated by a fine line; a line that could I was a 1SG in H Company, 2/6 CAV hicles" would be an eagerly awaited topic grow all the finer with each new tank when we lost the beret as part of our of discussion at the U.S. Army Field Artil- fielded. uniform and it really hurtthemoraleof my lery School. There was, however, no sug- JAMES M. WARFORD soldiers. gestion that the Soviets have adopted a CPT, Armor I've always felt that the beret was the Copperhead-like artillery round. I would FRG perfect headcover for a tanker. You can suggest that Mr. Burniece review the climb in and out of your tank without large number of ground-employed and knocking it off your head and it is easily soft-skinned vehicle-mounted antitank stowed in your pocket when entering a weapons fielded by the West, and then Seeks Sherman Manuals building. re-evaluate the effectiveness of indirect It does something to a soldier when he 130-mm and 152-mm suppressive fire on Dear Sir: is permitted to wear distinctive headgear. these targets. I am looking for technical manuals for The overall morale and esprit de corps of Secondly, I would like to discuss Mr. any model of the M-4 tank. I have a our armor force will be greatly improved. Burniece's theory on Soviet tank main collection of ARMOR from the 1960s to armament and Soviet armor doctrine. In the present that I am willing to trade for MICHAEL BARKER his letter, he contends that the "Return to such manuals and will pay the postage. SGM, U.S. Army a rifled gun/howitzer," especially one as Additionally, should anyone desire this FRG large as the 152-mm gun, would be *'di- collection of ARMOR, I would bewilling to rectly opposed to Soviet armor doctrine send it if the purchaser will pay COD (Ed. Note: A similar letter was also re- and development over the past 45 years." charges. ceived from SFC Randall E. Murray. HHC, It is clear that, for one main reason, the 1-35 Armor, APO NY 09066.) exact opposite is true. The "retention" EDWARD J. HERTERICH and modernization of the capable 152- GYSGT, USMC Ret. mm gun, a move that has already been P.O. Box 714 Another 10 00-Point Run accomplished and championed by the So- San Marcos, CA 92069 viet artillery, would be very much in line Dear Sir: with the Soviet desire to field simpler, less After reading your articles, 1 noticed sophisticated vehicles. This gun could be Commanders of Three Corps that you keep track of 1000-point tank made fully dual-capable by the develop- gunnery runs. I have an addition for you. ment and fielding of an effective antitank Dear Sir: On 4 August 1986 at Range 117 , Grafen- round. As Is uggested in the article, "T-64, I don't know if you plan to continue the wohr. Germany, the crew of D-33 1st IT-122. and IT-130: The Soviet Advan- series, "Armor's Heritage." I hope you do, Squadron, 2d Armored Cavalry Regiment, tage," the precedent for 152-mm for time being what it is, today's serving scored a perfect lo00 points, on Tank APFSDS-T ammunition has already been officer doesn't know the background of Table VIII. They were evaluated by TCElT. demonstrated with the MBT-7O/KPZ-70 the Armor Branch. nor the personalities The crew was composed of: SSG David P. and XM803. Similar Soviet ammunition that shaped it. Hughes, tank commander; SGT Ivan T. developments would have the twofold re- As an aside, an author has to be careful Honeycutt, gunner; PFC Ronald D. Allen, sult of creating a weapon system that in his choice of limiting words like never, loader; and PFC Bryan S. Hansen, driver. could pose a serious threat to Western always or, in any case, only, as in - This platoon did exceptionally well, but main battle tanks, while at the same time "He (Gillem) was the only general of- two other crews scored 990 points. The not requiring a new gun to be fielded. ficer in WW II to command three distinct platoon average was 904, with 4 Distin- Contrary to Mr. Burniece's suggestion, corps." guished and 1 Qualified. A super job! the "IT-1 52" would be less of a challenge I'm thinking that there were several, I look forward to sending you an addi- for Soviet conscript soldiers than a tank one to my knowledge being Lt. Gen. W. D. tional 1000-point crew in March 1987. like theT-64orT-80. The hypothetical "IT- Crittenberger, who commanded in this 152" would only be as challenging to its order: II Armored Corps, shortly, before G. KENT TROY crew as the tank hull that it is based on, activating and commanding the 111 Ar- CPT, Armor and only as new as its ammunition. It mored Corps, then its redesignated XIX FRG would simply bea continuation in the long Corps, which he took to England for the established line of Soviet dual-capable invasion, but was ordered to join General tank destroyers. Devers in the Mediterranean where he Tank Format Debate Finally, it appears that Mr. Burniece is commanded the IV Corps in the Italian more than a little off the mark with his Campaign from Rome to the Alps. Dear Sir: continuing discussion of the Swedish S- I am pleased to see that people outside Tank and the West German Kanonen- W. D. CRITTENBERGER, JR. the Army are concerned about soldiers jagdpanzer. When the capabilities of dif- Major General, USA, (Ret.) and their equipment, as evidenced in the 2 ARMOR: The Magazine of Mobile Warfare January-February 1987 May-June article The Heavily-Armored defeat the enemy by itself. That tactic hypervelocity ammo and high perfor- Gun-ArmedM ainB attle Tank Is Not Opti- alone will not win wars. mance fire control systems demonstrated mized for Mechanized Warfare by Mr. I am not advocating that we abandon a battlefield verity: tanks can't outrun Craig Koerner and Mr. Michael O'Connor. missiles or missile carriers. They are ne- bullets. The article is well written and well re- cessary, and I am heartily in favor of their Since then, there has been a worldwide searched, but it only scores a near miss. development and use. The point is that we design trend towards greater built-ins ur- The authors raise very salient points, and need both missilesand main guns, missile vivability, as evidenced by the new armors some of their ideas are highly valid. carriersandtanks, inordertowinafuture (e.g. Chobham and special armors), auto- For instance: any combat or NTC-sea- war. matic fire suppression systems, compart- soned tanker will agree that survivability To win any conflict, we must seize the mentation of ammo, and removal of fuel depends on stealth and mobility. As long initiative. attack, and keep on attacking, from the interior of thevehicle, to mention as a tank can protect its crew from small- which brings us to a philosophical, rather some of the more prominent measures. bore cannon fire and area engagement than technical, definition of a tank. A tank These features have appeared on one or artillery rounds, its armor is thick enough. is first and foremost an offensive weapon more current Western world-class tanks, Survivability beyond that must be borne of system. It should also be able to be used such as the M1, MlA1, Leopard 2 and speed, low silhouette, stealth and fire- defensively, but its primary mission is to Challenger. Their introduction has indeed power. The authors are quite correct in close withand roll over the enemy. It must had an effect on the tactical balance men- implying that it is futile for us to develop embody enough firepower. mobility, and tioned by Messrs. Koerner and O'Connor. armor that will defeat a long rod pene- shock effect to not only kill those at which Similarly, the employment of an ATGM trator or HEAT round capable of penetrat- its weapons are pointed, but send the rest on a MBT has been tried and found want- ing 650 mm of rolled homogeneous steel. of the enemy's soldiers fleeing for cover, ing. The Shillelagh hybrid conventional Our opponents will respond by simply and hound them until they give up. To do gun/ammo and ATGM system, first making bigger bullets. We should opt for this (1) it must be large enough to gen- mounted on the M551 Sheridan, armed less weight and greater mobility. erateshock effect, (2) it must be capable of the M60A2 and was the weapon of choice The authors are also near the mark by continuous operations, (3) it must be fast for the MBT 70. The fate of these systems implying that the time is ripe for a light and agile, (4) it must be impervious to is largely attributable to the technical weight, highlymobile, missilecarrierto be small arms fire and common artillery, and problems and the combat inadequacy of introduced to our ground arsenal for the (5)i t must be capable of delivering large that hybrid armament. One of th major purpose of shoot and scoot missionsor, as volumes of highly accurate, completely problems which finally killed the Shille- the authors put it, stalking and ambush. lethal fires while on the move. lagh was the engineering nightmare (im- Butthevehiclethey propose, a three-man ATGMs and missile carriers just do not possibility?) of developing an APDS round crewed, tracked missile carrier with over- haveall ofthesecapabilitiesgivencurrent for a system whose design was com- head launcher, is still too large and cum- or near-future technology. Until the re- promised by its incompatible gun-launch- bersome for that mission. At the risk of search and development people can pro- er requirements. The need for that round sounding too simplistic, what is needed is duce a good fire-and-forget missile which was the result of the user's eventual essentially an AH-64 with tracks instead issmall enough tocarry in large numbers, recognition that shaped-charge warheads of rotors. Several vehicles which meet yet iseffective against heavyarmor,and is alone wouldn't cut it on the battlefield. this criterion are currently being tested. capable of being fired in large, rapid But my chief difficulty with the authors' They are small, lightly armored, low sil- volumesfrom a moving platform, thegun- thesis is that the central idea of the main houette vehicles, crewed by a "pilot" and armed tank will remain an essential com- battle tank as we - whether as users, a gunner, and are optimally suited for ponent of armored warfare. developers, or system analysts - have stalking and ambush and other cavalry come to understand it over the years is missions. But these vehicles are not MIKE DEATON somehow lost in the dense jargon of their tanks. And stalking and ambush will not CPT, Armor arguments. The main battle tank, as I win wars. San Francisco, CA understand it - and I believe that most While it is true that guided missiles are armor professionals would agree - is the inherently more accurate than gun rounds, robust centerpiece of the combined arms missiles have problems that do not bother Tank Format Debate Goes On team, providing the mobile firepower es- gun rounds. For instance, the authors sential for both the offense and the de- propose that we replace main gun rounds Dear Sir: fense. In this key role, it must take under with laser-designated guided missiles. The article in the May-June issue of fire a variety of targets, from heavilyforti- Laser designators are fine additions for a 'ARMOR by Messrs. Koerner and O'Con- fied positions and armored vehicles to weapon system, but any tank commander nor recommended a totally new tank de- enemy troops in the open. It must, at can graphically describe the effects of sign based on a light, lightly armored, times, advance into the very teeth of the snow, rain, fog, dust, or tree limbs on a highly mobile vehicle armed with an enemy's defenses in order to penetrate, laser rangefinder. Laser beams, be they ATGM. One certainly must admire these pursue, and exploit. At othertimes, it must generated by a rangefinder or designator, two armor enthusiasts in presenting their stand firm against massive armored on- are not selective about the surfaces they ideas before a professional audience. And slaughts to prevent an enemy bFeak- reflect from. They are also adversely af- I saythiswithout irony;wecanalways use through. To perform these demanding fected bya phenomenon known as scintil- novel ideas, whatever their source. While tasks, the MBT must survive, especially lation, which requires nothing more than these ideas may be a radical departure against those antitank weapons it en- a warm sunny day to have deleterious from traditional notions of the main battle counters to its front. The authors, on the effects. Opting for wire-guided missiles tank, they are not necessarily new. Sim- other hand, seem to have a very different solves these issues, but introduces a ilar recommendations have been put for- idea of the role of the tank, for they have whole new spectrum of widely-known ward and debated in the past and have, in put forward a concept of not an MBT, but problems. some cases, been tried in experimental instead a type of tank destroyer such as Additionally, given the size of currently and production hardware. the British Striker (Swingfire ATGM on available long-range ATGMs, missile car- The continental European tanks of the the Scorpion chassis). This concept would riers are limited in the amount of ammu- 60s. for instance, such as the West Ger- appear to ignore the very essence of the nition they can carry. This limits them to man Leopard 1 and the French AMX-30, MBT as it has evolved in the recent past short-lived battles prior to rearming. That, were tanks that ceded the conflict be- into an almost world-wide consensus. in turn, forces them into shoot and scoot tween armor and ammunition to the lat- Thisconcept is the apparent result of he roles. While this is a necessary function, ter. Their low ballistic protection was sup- authors' premises, some of which are designed to attrite, disrupt, and demor- posedly compensated for by speed and misperceptions and others which are just alize an enemy force, it is not likely to agility. It wasn't. The double whammy of wrong. for example: January-February 1987 ARMOR: The Magazine of Mobile Warfare 3 "Ambush" tactics are not feasible as The authors advance other dubious ing. 3) our choice of missile instead of gun the predominate modus operandi of MBT propositions. The logistic support does not armament, and 4) whether we have de- in a major clash of mechanized forces on increase, as they surmise. in proportion to signed a tank as opposed to a tank de- the European battlefield. While we build the cube of tank weight. The fuel require- stroyer. ourtankstofightandwin ina widevariety ment varies directly with the weight, but Both missile armed and lightly armored of terrains, climates, and threat environ- the overall support today is much more a vehicles have been built in the past. Cur- ments, they are designed primarily with function of the technological complexity rent missile armed vehicles have no close the European plains in mind, because the of a system than of its weight. The modern combat capability, very large firing sil- major threat is there. The authors have tank's sophisticated surveillance and fire houettes, and low velocity missiles. Our imagined a war comprising a series of control system, including the thermal im- proposal differs from these in combining meeting engagements of armored col- ager, is very demanding, but who would light armored and ATGM armament with umns, one of which maneuvers to am- deny the benefits it confers on its users? close-in combat capability, high mobility, bush the others. Is this in Europe? Not in The author's argument against armoring and a low silhouette weapon with hyper- any of the scenarios I have seen, where the tank for the more numerous frontal velocity ATGMs. While the lightly ar- the reality is more like massive armored threats, because we cannot armor them mored and highly mobile Leopard 1 was formations echeloned in depth. This is not all-around for aerial threats, reminds me considered by many to be an experiment to minimize the importance of maneuver of the automakers' argument against air- that failed, there is no combat experience and surprise; there certainly would be bags - they protect passengers onlyfrom supporting this conclusion. penetrations, envelopments, and counter- head-on collisions (the major cause of The way to think about choosing the attacks on enemy flanks. But this second accidental death on the highways). optimal armor level is to compare your version does recognize an enemy more The MBT has evolved to its present form cost of adding armor to your enemy's cost operationally sophisticated and more sub- because it works. It works because it of increasing weapon performance to stantially armed than the Syrians operat- delivers its decisive firepower when and penetrate it. Obviously, increasing your ing in Golan. where it is needed. It carries the battle armor thickness without increasing cost Up-armoring vehicles may not be in- forward as the nucleus of the combined must increase weight and reduce mobil- herently more costly than countering with arms team. It is the penultimate defensive ity. Therefore, the straightforward way to munitions. The authors appear to be un- weapon against attacking tanks, the last determine the cost of uparmoring is to familiar with the state-of-the-art in armor before the infantry engages them from hold other aspects of design, such as design. The technology of armor systems their foxholes. And, because the main mobility and armor type, constant. Given has advanced in recent years, with the battle tank alone ha5 the size and mass to your choice of armor type, configuraiton, introduction of new materials and novel mount a gun with high recoil impulse, it is etc., increasing protection further must arrays of these materials combined with the only mobile weapon system on the come from increasing armorthickness. To the more traditional steels and alumi- battlefield(with the neglibieexceptionof a uparmor in this way without losing mo- nums. These new armors can be widely few gun-armed tank destroyers) that can bility is very expensive. as Richard Simp- and rapidly fielded by an applique and/or fire a lethal kinetic energy projectile, the kin makes clear. modern design approach. (While most awesome APFSDS. If, by arming the tank Thickening tankarmor beyondt he "frag- readers are assumed to be familiar with with a HEAT-tipped ATGM, we eliminate proof" M-2 level is an excellent example appliquearmors, the term "modular" may this singular capability, we hand our op- of such a costly, yet cheaply countered, be new to some. Essentially, modular ponents an overwhelming advantage: design feature. The ease with which new armor implies an armor package attached they can nowoptimize their armor designs AT weapons, such as APILAS ("Sling- in modules to the vehicle frame. It differs against a single type of antiarmor threat, shot"), TOW2, and others were deployed from an applique in that it is the inherent and that one the more easily countered. in response to the invention of Chobham armor of the vehicle, rather than an "add- I will concede Messrs. Koerner and armor shows how readily uparmoring is on" armor. Its modular features permit it O'Connor at least one point: there is a defeated. Improvements in protection to be replaced with an upgraded package need for a dedicated under-armor ATGM which add little to life-cycle costs, such as as the threat changes with time or place.) system in the field today. The BFV, an fire suppression systems, external fuel Conversely, ammunition and armament excellent fighting vehicle, should be freed tanks, internal compartmentalization, upgrades can be very expensive, as, for of the burdensome antitank role, so that it Chobham armor(a one-timeexpense over example, when a new tank with vastly can better perform its priman/functionsof the life of the vehicle), and even modular improved armor is introduced. Then, not troop carrying and fire support. armor are worthwhile. We favor all of only the development and fielding of a Thechallenge posed toarmor designers these measures. However, while modular new round, but also the obsolescence of a and planners today is not, as the authors armor allows relatively rapid and cheap large inventory of older antiarmor rounds, have suggested, to reinvent the tank but, deployment of new armor types, it does could beverycostly. When the newarmor rather, to hasten its rational evolution into not eliminate the weight and cost penal- cannot be defeated by merely improving an even more formidable weapon - more ties of thickening tank armor. Further- components of the existing armament survivable, more lethal, and more mobile more, there is no reason to believe the systems, but requires a totally new sys- -that can control, on its own terms, the technology of armor will outpace tech- tem, the cost of the response is com- battlefield of tomorrow. nological improvement in AT weaponry. pounded. JOHN R. AKER Increasing armor thickness will continue Improved ballistic protection will not LTC (Ret.), USA to be futile. necessarily require proportionately heavi- Charlottesville, VA Many readers have objected to our er tanks. The authors have made the choice of an ATGM, instead of a gun, for common mistake of linear extrapolation the main armament of our vehicle. They on the basis of traditional armor materials The Authors Reply contend that missile systems, for reasons and vehicle designs. When the newer of their ammunition size and HEAT war- armor arrays mentioned in the previous Dear Sir: heads, are incapable of delivering the paragraph are applied in novel vehicle We are grateful for the thoughtful criti- quantity and types of fire that guns pro- designs, the weight savings are dramatic. cisms of LTC Aker and CPT Deaton. Unfor- vide. First, the problem of ammunition Thefeaturesof design conceptsfor future tunately, we cannot respond to all of their applies to only AT rounds (ADATS is over tanks center around reduction of the ar- detailed objections in a short letter. In- twice the size of gun rounds). Our HE and mored volume and include overhead main stead, we will confine our discussion to 1) smoke rockets are comparable in effect to armament with autoloading, compact (3- whether our proposal has been tried and gun rounds. and smaller in cylindrical man?) crew compartment, and a smaller, shown to be deficient, 2) our choice of volume. Thus, our design, which is larger lighter propulsion system. These ideas light, fragment-proof all around protec- than TOW-armed M113 wariants and has already exist in experimental hardware. tion, instead of heavy frontal arc armor- no internal infantry like the M-2 BFV, 4 ARMOR:T he Magazine of Mobile Warfare January-February 1987 ~ would have an ammunition supply com- forward of the LP/OPs and the M-42 fighting units. The infantry soldier is and parable to that of current MBTs. Second, alarm unit is stationed at an LP/OP, even always will be the cutting edge of the the disadvantage of allowing theenemyto the most competent soldiers cannot pass battlefield; this is proven by the amount of optimize against HEAT rounds is over- on an alert until they have gone through casualties that infantry units sustain dur- whelmed by the twin advantages of the their protective mask-donning routine. ing war. Infantry soldiers deserve to wear small silhouette of a weapon on a tele- The time required to accomplish this is awardssuch asthe CIB when theysurvive scoping arm mount (TAM), and the mis- small, but the alert must be passed as combat, and the EIB when they meet the sile's greater accuracy. TAMS have the quickly as possible to prevent casualties. requirements. ability to use horizontal cover too high for This holds true particularly for soldiers Now, let's be objective about the air- turreted or overhead mounted guns inside tracked vehicles, especially tank borne finance clerk. He or she wears no (OHMG), and vertical obstacles such as crews. How can we alert them more quick- more distinctive garb on a uniform than buildings, for defilade. Another decisive ly. One way - using an M-60 tank does a tank crewman in the 82d's 3d advantage of ATGMs is their high hit unit/platoon for example - is to wire the Battalion (Airborne), 73d Armor Regi- probabilities against small targets (such M-42 alarm unit into the unit/platoon hot ment. I fail to see your point in comparing as OHMGs) at all ranges. Guns have low loop wire system. How do you make the an airborne finance clerk and a non- hit probabilities against such targets, connections? airborne armor platoon sergeant. even at short ranges. Using the M-8 automatic chemical As for the statement about the black Is a lightly-armored, missile-armed ve- agent alarm system, take WD-l/TT field beret belonging to the Armor, it was never hicle a tank? In the defensive role, it is wire and hook into the binding post on the authorized by DA as headgear for tankers. more effective than any MBT yet fielded. M-42alarm unitandruntheotherendsof When it was worn, it was done so under On the offensive, it possesses greater the WD-l/TT to the AN/VIC-1 intercom- local policy for local wear only. U.S. armor firepower and mobility than current munications set. Then run your hot loop personnel most likely started to wear the FulBTs, and is just as survivable. Tanks from tank to tank and put the AN/VIC-1 black beret so they would resemble their succeed in the attack by using fire and into operation. When the M-43 detector fellow NATO tankers. In fact, it was an maneuver to suppress enemy fire, close unit is set off, the alarm signal can be armor officer, General Creighton Abrams, range, and destroy the enemy. Historical- heard over the entire hot loop, alerting when hewasthe Army Chief of Staff,who ly, fewtanks have succeeded by relying on everyone wearing their CVC. For mobile outlawed the tankers' black beret. heavy armor and advancing into enemy operation, you could also run the WD- In your historical statement about the fire. From WWI to the present, attacking 1/TT from your M-43 to the intercom- 4th Armored Division rescuing the 10lst tanks succeeded by using combined arms munication set and when you come upon Airborne, you didn't mention that an en- and suppressive fires to neutralize AT a contaminated area, you would get the tire US. armored division had retreated weapons, relying on their armor to protect alarm over the intercommunications set. from the Germans in the Ardennes Forest them from the ubiquitous small arms fire Using this technique will greatly en- during the Battle of the Bulge, and the and high explosives, NOT by failed at- hance the reaction time under an NBC only soldiers to stay to fight were para- tempts to absorb AT fire. Thus, the heavy threat, and also improve the purpose of troopers. Of course, the troopers of the armor on current MBTs is of NO use in the the M-8 automatic chemical agent alarm 101s t Airborne will always be grateful for assault role, and a lightly-armored vehicle system. the breakthrough achieved by Third Army is no more a tank destroyer than are the and the 4th Armored Division, but one M-1 Abrams and the Leopard II. Tanks on SSG CHARLES MURPHY should not forget the courageous stand of the assault benefit from superior mobility TACOM Branch, Cmd & Staff Dept the lOlst at Bastogne or the decisive to minimize exposure times, accurate and USAARMS, Fort Knox. KY intervention by XVlll AirborneCorpsatthe lethal covering fire, and integral smoke- northern shoulder of the Bulge. In fact, the laying capability to deny the enemy effec- . following statement appeared in the Stars tive fire as the attacker closes range. Our In Response.. andstripes during the siege of Bastogne: proposed tank, with its ultrahigh accelera- "The magnificent spirit of selfless hero- tion, accurate ATGMs, and smoke rockets, Dear Sir: ism which inspired yourself and the of- is superior to conventional tanks in all of In response to the article, "Bring Back ficers and men of the garrison of Bastogne these functions. The emphasis on "am- the Beret," in the July-August edition of to victoriously defend Bastogne from De- bush tactics" in the design does no: com- ARMOR Magazine, it should be pointed cember 19, 1944, to the arrival of the 4th promise the tank's attacking power, nor out that the only branch/MOS-related Armored Division on December 26,1944, does it imply any belief in a "war of award is the infantry blue cord. To some constitutes an inspiring example of disci- meeting engagements." (In hindsight, extent, the CIB and El6 are oriented pline, valor and endurance. You and the "ambush tactics" was an unfortunate towards soldiers with a PMOS within CMF officers and men of your command are phrase.) Rather, this tankwasdesigned to 11. However, the Parachutist Badge, Air hereby highly commended for a superior excel at the "microtactics of defense," Assault Badge, and Ranger Tab are avail- performance." which are useful both in tactical defense able to those soldiers who volunteer and - LT GEN GEORGE S. PATTON, JR. and in an attacker's overwatch force. earn them. Nothing was said about the paratroops Therefore, our tank design is superior to The maroon beret is, and always has who jumped into France behind enemy current MBTs in both attack and defense. been, the international headgear for para- lines the night prior to D-day and secured troopers. All paratroopers, whether they key terrain for the main invasion forces. CRAIG KOERNER are infantry, armor, finance, or any other You forgot to say anything about the MICHAEL F. O'CONNOR branch, have one thing in common. They Rangers who scaled the sheer cliffs at Chicago, IL serve in an airborne unit and regularly Pointe du Hoc in order to capture the jump out of airplanes. They are volun- coastal guns supposedly there. All of teers. They first volunteered when they these soldiers completed their daring Direct Link for NBC Alarm joined the Army and then again to go to missions without a beret and with no jump school. Ranger and Special Forces armor support (except for a steel helmet Dear Sir: soldiers volunteered three times - once and a cotton uniform). However, the point When you put out your defensive posi- to join the Army, again to become Air- of this response is not to discuss the tion's listening or observation posts, after borne, and then again for Ranger or Spe- distinguished history of the paratroopers, having been given an NBC threat assess- cial Forces units. lt seems that in trying to for in the end it is a combination of a ment, did you ever wonder if there were a make a point about the armor soldiers combined forces team which inevitably quicker, more effective way to alert your getting a black beret and instituting an destroys the enemy. position to an NBC attack? Expert Armor Badge, you've taken cheap Finally, it is not the beret that makes When the M-43 detector unit is placed shots at the infantry as well as some fine soldiers elite, but it is a special dedication January-February 1987 ARMOR: The Magazine of Mobile Warfare 5 which inspires them, whether they wear In closing, I'd like to again express my and feel compelled to offer three com- the maroon beret of paratroopers (even hope that we'll still be reading ARMOR ments, two positive and one negative. finance paratroopers), the black beret of well into the future. First, I am glad to see that at least a few Rangers, or the green beret of Special of the Army's professional journals are Forces. They are all volunteers who are SSG JEFFERY S. SPENADER coming to the realization that the war in willing to give a little more of themselves B Co, 1/ 63d Armor Vietnam can provide superb examples of than the average soldier. Ft. Riley, KS combat actions at battalion level and be- low. For too long, we have ignored the JEFFREY D. NEWSOME tactical lessons of that war simply be- 1L T, IN Smokers Raise Some Clouds cause we did not like the political and 82d ABN DIV strategic outcome. Dear Sir: Also on a positive note, I would like to We in Smoke Division at the Chemical congratulate the authors on the realistic School read with interest the article writ- and insightful "Lessons Learned" sec- ten by Captain Reardon, "Countering So- tion. I found particularly interesting the Thoughts on "Kobra." viet Smoke," in the May-June 1986 issue authors' observations on the importance Smoke and "Dead" TC's of ARMOR. We would like to offer com- of training subordinate leaders to assume ments on some of the technical points of command. Too often in the U.S. Army we Dear Sir: the article. fail to let our subordinates try their hand at I have appreciated your magazine for In the opening scenario, we are some- commanding the next higher echelon. some years and was saddened to hear that what confused as to when the friendly The article's only flaw - and it is a its publication will soon be ending. I know forces were first subjected to enemyartil- serious one - is in the conclusion. The many people, including myself, who lery fire. In actual Soviet exercises de- statement, "...attack of dismounted infan- would gladly pay an extra subscription fee scribed in Soviet Military Herald the try with armor forces is a slaughter," is a to keep ARMOR active in its present form, smoke-HE artillery barrage isdelivered on dangerous over-generalization. Although assuming that this arrangement would be the enemy well before the Red Forces the courage of the North Vietnamese pract ica I. enter ATGM range (about 4,000 meters). Army's soldiers is beyond dispute, the Concerning the comments made by Thesmokemixturein theartillerywill bea NVA was a rather unsophisticated enemy readers about the implausibility of the mixture of toxic agents and plasticized lacking, for example, modern antiarmor muzzle-loading characteristics of the whitephosphorus(PWP). which is WPand weaponry. Moreover, it is quite clear from "KOBRA" ATGM, I agree that this does powdered butyl rubber. PWP is an excel- the discussion that the enemy was not sound farfetched. However, while every- lent obscurant well into the far infrared fighting from well-prepared, dug-in fight- one isquick todispute the muzzle-loading rangeof thespectrum, depending on path- ing positions. There are a number of his- feature, no one appears to doubt the length, thermal sights would experience torical examples which suggest that if dimensions of the missile. Maneuvering a difficulty, if not impossibility, seeing these conditions had been present, the 1.2 meter (That's 3 ft. 11 in.) missile into through it. outcome might have been different. the breech within thecramped confinesof Captain Reardon uses the term "bi- My purpose in making this criticism is the T80 turret, made more difficult by the spectral" to describe thermal-obscuring not to detract from the actions of any of presence of automatic loading equipment smoke. "Bi-spectral" more accurately de- the participants, nor is it to detract from behind the breech, sounds almost as im- scribes smoke which obscures visible and the importance of armor on the battlefield. plausible as muzzle-loading. near infrared only. "Multi-spectral" It is rather to suggest that authors, and In reference to SFC Allison's letter, he would be the correct term to describe even editors, have a responsibility to be certainly presents some interesting and visible, near, and far infrared (thermal) careful about over-generalizations. In our viable ideas. In fact, he seems to have obscuring smokes. business, over-generalizations can get been beaten to the point concerning his The Soviets plan to place so much ther- people killed. suggestions for ATGM countermeasures. mal-obscuring smoke on future battle- A smoke greande launcher-deployed fields that they even forego the employ- MICHAEL L BROWN ATGM decoy system isanavailableoption ment of thermal sighting systems with MAJ, GS on the French AMX-40. Although I am their ground forces, as the systems would Chief, G3 Tng Div unaware as to how the system works (i.e. be rendered useless in such an environ- Berlin Brigade what the decoys are meant to replicate), a ment. flare attempting to mimic the tracking Captain Reardon presents some inter- flare on a SACLOS-guided ATGM would esting countermeasures to Soviet smoke seem to be the practical solution. employment which we may incorporate Concerning the overhead, under armor intoour lesson plans. But hedoes mention We often have questions concerning manuscript projector, this idea has also already been the use of 4.2" mortar smoke to "erase" requirementsf or articles submitted to ARMOR for taken up, a la the 60-mm mortar on the Soviet smoke lines. We at the Smoke publication. The requirementsa re quite simple. Merkava Mk II, and the Swedish Lyran Division have as yet never been able to Submit your article in typewritten. doublespaced launcher. These systems have the added figure out how to "erase" existing smoke. format on white, unlinedpaper.L eavemarginsofat least one and one-half inches, and be sure to put advantage of being able to launch conven- Please elaborate on how this is done! your last name at the top of each sheet of paper. tional rounds such as illumination and If you include photographs with your manuscript, smoke in addition to a possible ATGM KEVIN W. KILLE ensure that they are black and white prints, and indicatew hether you desire that we return them to decoy. Captain, CM you afterthearticleappears in themagazine. While Ia m in total agreement with SFCAllison Instructor we can work with prints of nearly any size. larger concerning his statement that the 3-man prints are easier to work with and will appear as engagement on TT Vlll should include a better illustrations in the magazine. Hence, if you can submit large prints. do so. Line drawings or "dead TC" scenario. However, I feel that Good Story; sketches should be in black ink on white paper. the "dead loader" situation should, de- Send all manuscripts to: pending on the secnario number, also be Weak Conclusion Editor-in-Chief ARMOR Magazine presented as an alternative. Besides the ATTN: ATSB-MAG real possibility of losing an LP/OP as a Dear Sir: Building 4401. Vine Grove Road casualty, the loader will now be semi- I have just read the article "Attacking Fort Knox. KW0121-5210 exposed while firing the loader's machine Dismounted Infantry with Armored Caval- gun. ry," (ARMOR, September-October 1986) 6 ARMOR The Magazine of Mobile Warfare January-February 1987 MG Thomas H. Tait I’ Commanding General I US. Army Armor Center -- Legacy ”. . .What will be your legacy after you‘re gone?” A legacy is something we leave to service support branches. This was rior’s warrior. And there are many our successors. The traditions and a battalion that did not perform others who have shown the way. values of the Army and nation are well. In order to succeed on the modern legacies that were left to us by our The point of this vignette is that battlefield, we must have the re- forefathers. We all leave something the leaders were not good and their quisite amount of dash, audacity, behind when we depart. legacy was one of poorly trained, esprit, and cohesion that will en- Armor/Cavalry leader, what will poorly disciplined soldiers with low able us to take the fight to an enemy be your legacy after you’ve gone? morale. The imprint I received as a that has more equipment and per- Will the imprint you leave on your result of this experience has never sonnel than we have, and whip crew, platoon, company, battalion been forgotten. I learned how to do him. We have the very best sol- be positive or negative? things right by watching others diers, the very best equipment, and Unfortunately, some of the best make mistakes. Although one can the very best leaders from ser- lessons learned can come from a often learn as much from a nega- geants to colonels. However, your totally negative experience. As a tive experience as from a positive soldiers must have confidence in young officer, I served in a battal- one, it is important that we, as the you, in their equipment, and in ion where the negatives were ac- leaders of tankers and troopers, their fellow soldiers. It is your re- centuated and the positives were provide them with only the very sponsibility to ensure they have almost nonexistent. There were best role models in leadership. that confidence. many poor leadership examples in They deserve the best that we can It takes work and a will to win, that particular battalion, and give them. but, it is my hope that the legacy - much was learned from the exam- Our leaders of the past Patton, that each of you Armor/Cavalry - ples set by those leaders. The lega- Harmon, Abrams, Starry left us leaders leaves when you leave your cy of their leadership was one that with a legacy of audacity and command, whether as a tank com- - had the noncommissioned officers panache the image of harddriv- mander or a battalion commander, intimidated to the point that their ing warriors who took war to the is a well-trained, disciplined, hard- performance was in a survival enemy. There was P. Wood, the charging unit. You can do it! - mode. The junior officers most of revered commander of the Fourth Treat ’em rough! whom were two-year obligated vol- Armored Division, who was a car- - unteers terminated their service ing commander as well as a bril- while the two regular Army officers liant leader. The recently retired eventually transferred into combat “DOC’B’ ahnsen was a fearless war- January-February 1987 ARMOR The Magazine of Mobile Warfare 7 The ”New“ Company Master Gunner The M1 Unit Conduct of Fire Trainer is here to stay, and some battalion commanders are having a tough time finding people to run these very valuable training de- vices. In most cases, the obvious choice is the battalion master gun- SFC David M. Gray ner, but even this highly-trained NCO must first attend an instruc- B Co., 1 /7 Cav, 1 CD tor/operator (I/O) course before he Fort Hood, TX is qualified to train tank com- manders and gunners on the M1 UCOFT. At the level of the tank company, the problem of finding an I/O for the UCOFT is even more difficult. yet the company commander needs training, especially gunnery train- Current MTOEs have the company this NCO in his role as platoon ing, is planned properly and exe- master gunner as one of the three sergeant. cuted in accordance with doctrinal tank platoon sergeants. Most of us However, there may be a way out procedures. Without the many re- realize how much work is involved of this dilemma. Under the restruc- quirements of the “platoon ser- in being an effective platoon ser- turing of CMF-19, the master gun- geant,” he will be free to instruct geant and a good master gunner. If ner will be assigned to the head- and operate the UCOFT, and since we now put on this soldier the re- quarters section of the tank com- he is directly responsible for the sponsibility of instructing the com- pany. He will be a sergent first gunnery training of the company, pany’s tank crews and the running class and the senior enlisted man his work in the UCOFT would be of the UCOFT, are we asking too (except for the first sergeant) of the both better integrated into the en- much from this noncommissioned Headquarters Section. He will serve tire company training plan and, officer? as the tank company headquarters probably, better conducted. If the In the first place, most units are tank section leader and as the tank headquarters section needs a sec- experiencing a shortage of master commander of the company com- tion sergeant, a good candidate for gunners. At the company level, mander’s tank when the company that job would be the supply ser- those master gunners who are pres- commander is not with his crew. geant or, the other enlisted tank ent have the primary job of being a There is a danger, however, to this commander of the section. platoon sergeant. While being both solution. The company master gunner’s a platoon sergeant and the com- When this restructuring occurs, prime function is to assist the com- pany master gunner taxes the time there is a danger that this master pany commander in training tank of the noncommissioned officer, gunner will again assume the du- crews who can put steel on target most of us are doing a good job of ties of a “platoon sergeant” for the faster than the enemy. The M1 handling the responsibilities. But enlisted men of the company head- UCOFT is going to be a tremendous with the advent of the UCOFT, we quarters section. If we permit this factor in the training of such crews. have placed on that master gunner to happen, we have, in effect, put However, the UCOFT will only be an added, more time-consuming him in the same position, with the as effective as the way we use it, task of being the instructor/op- same problem that he had before. and the first step to proper use will erator for the company. Hence, the best way to deal with the be the selection of the proper person The M1 UCOFT is so good at problem is to put him in a position to act as the instructor/operator. what it does that I foresee com- that most companies “create” and The company master gunner is panies spending as much as 25 fill with one of their staff sergeants that person, but we must ensure percent of their time in gamson on who should be serving as a tank that he has the time to plan and it. What platoon sergeant can commander - the company train- conduct effective gunnery training. spend 25 percent of his time away ing NCO. In that position, he is As the company training NCO, he from the soldiers of his platoon and close to the company commander will be in the best position to ensure still believe that he is doing an so that he can advise the com- high quality training and the result adequate job as a platoon sergeant? mander on matters of training. He that we all require: tank crews who This is a dilemma because the com- can better serve the commander in are qualified on Table VI11 and pany master gunner is the ideal the planning for ranges and am- who are ready to fight on the 110 for the crews of the company, munition, and he can ensure that modem battlefield. 8 ARMOR The Magazine of Mobile Warfare January-February 1987