Gordon wrote on Dec 13
th, 2017 at 7:05pm:
Do we really need M1A1s? Id have thought something like the Bradley would be perfect.
We don't need the M1a1. It is too heavy and its' acquisition has distorted our defence forces.
We don't need the M2/M3 Bradley. It is under-armed and under-armoured.
We do need a Medium Tank - something like the Leopard AS1, equipped with a large calibre tank gun and light enough to be easily transported and used in our main theatre of operations. It needs heavier armour than an APC/MICV but not as heavy as the M1 series.
However, the Turret-heads have control of what sort of MBT they desire and the M1A1 was offered cheap to us by the Yanks. As it was the newest (well actually refurbished), brightest and best and John W. Howard had put his foot in it over what forces were available to be sent to Iraq for the invasion in 2003 ("An armoured brigade group" - what "Armoured Brigade Group"? ), the Turret-heads got what they wanted.
As a consequence we have purchased C-17 transport aircraft, the LHDs and now it appears, malfunctioning LCUs. We have had specialised railway trucks built for the Ghan. We have had specialised tank transporter trucks/trailers built to carry the M1s.