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| Japanese MCV |
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| New Chinese Light Tank |
Chinese Defense Blog is reporting that the new Chinese Light Tank is being designed to fight in mountainous terrain.
Maybe.
But after chewing on this a bit I believe that not only is it set to be given to their Airborne, Amphibious Mechanized Infantry, and Marine Corps...but I'm also guessing that it designed as a direct counter to the Japanese MCV.
Additionally I believe that just like the MCV, the new light tank is being built with the Senkaku Islands (sorry for that to my Chinese readers...I am an ugly American after all!) in mind.
In the scenario of it being a race to the islands the nation that gets there first might not be the winner. The victory might belong to the nation that is able to land the most capable all around force...to include armor and artillery (this is a scenario which will make air support iffy at best...the JASDF, USAF, USN Air, and Marine Air will be battling for air superiority...ground forces will be on their own).
Do you believe that an "Air Enabled Ground Force" (SLD Info's term for Marine forces inserted by MV-22) will be able to hold the line against a Amphibious Mechanized Infantry Division and Chinese Marine Corps attempting a forcible entry with these light tanks and the other armor that has been trotted out? Someone should hope that the Combat Assault Battalion can arrive in time and when they do they better have more Javelins and TOWs ready to go than I've ever seen for it to be helpful.
Everywhere you look its becoming an armor heavy world. S. America is upgrading, Asia is on an almost terrifying buying spree and Europe is moving forward with speed. We don't even need to talk about the Middle East! Africa is probably the only place in the world where a pure infantry force has a chance of success and even there only in places.
Ground combat is again becoming mech centric. You would think that the Marine Corps learned that lesson well in the run into Iraq in 2003.
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