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Hmmm...the 4500 lb weight target might be tough, but here goes.

British S.A.S. Desert Rats vs Rommel's Afika Korps

All field tested.

what DOD really needs is to gather NASCAR and Baja Race mechanics, a bunch of SeaBees, a passel of light trucks, a steady supply of cold beer, and a huge hanger. Lock them in and let them party and voila!

As some body pointed out up thread, they ain't ever going faster than 2500 fps much less an IED.

If fly in shoot and scoot fly out is the name of the game then the HMVs and Strykers is a prime example of what not to do.

But the very first big damn thing to do is change the ROE and lock up all the JAGS in Guantanamo for the duration...or maybe until an asteroid strikes earth.

But the very first big damn thing to do is change the ROE and lock up all the JAGS in Guantanamo for the duration...or maybe until an asteroid strikes earth.

Now, you're talking about actually attaining victory over a named enemy. This is about the circle of life inside the DoD and defense industry church of procurement. These two things only incidentally match up on rare occasion, like a giant asteroid hitting the earth.

I’m glad you posted the pictures. I was going to mention how light trucks are being used in the Mid East in that fashion.

As I see it an “ultra-light” combat vehicle would need several things to survive as a fighting force. First off Numbers, ie. quantity vs. quality. Second an extremely low profile that conversely would need high ground clearance capability. (Look to low-riders for such technology.)

Third, an added reconnaissance advantage. (Look at the pneumatic towers News Vans use to push Cameras and Communication dishes to heights over forty-five feet.)

Fourth, a moderately heavy punch per vehicle. Look at M2 .50 Cal machine guns or 7.62 miniguns. Relatively lightweight with a good punch.

Selected vehicles could have a heavier Punch, Javelins or Tow Missiles.

In any case their small size would necessarily mean that there can be no one size fits all category for such a vehicle. And that alone will cause the brass to have a heart attack. They want do-all be-all vehicles, planes, ships and that’s just the nature of that beast.