I think the Volkswagen Van fits the requirements from Fort Benning. Let’s put the Commandant of the Infantry School in a Volkswagen Van and have him charge into ambushes in Afghanistan. Everybody wants light vehicles until they start receiving fire.
Sadly, even the super lights can’t drive fast everywhere. And I haven’t seen anything readily available that goes 2500+fps that people/troops can ride in.
Good point, and the guys recommending the move away from armor won’t be riding in the vehicles taking fire.
TANKS are vulnerable without accompanying infantry!
“IEDs” (Booby traps, mines, whatever) can be made more powerful quicker and at less cost than armor can be improved. The USS Cole was taken out with a Zodiac inflatable, the Murrah Building with a Ryder rental box van.
Politically Correct Rules of Engagement do as much harm as too light an armor. Make the enemy HURT, make his leadership HURT, make it very costly for him to place IEDs in your sector and then things will improve. Ask the ROK Marines about Vietnam.
Realistically, we do not have the resolve to wage war to win. We make our troops respond as if they were Mall Cops dealing with a looting flash mob.
As much as I despise that ^@^%%^*& Yankee, I must say that Gen. William T. Sherman understood this very well.