Nick ol' bean.....
As you have been in such intimate contact with those who are setting the standards for new technology and aircraft needed for the future....hows about answering a question or two please.
The much vaunted and very damn expensive Expeditionary Fighting Vehichle Program (EFV) has been terminated. As we all know, the USMC had to embrace a concept known as Over The Horizion Littoral Assault (OTH), because the USN has refused to approach closer than 25NM to hostile shores out of a need to protect their ships from cruise and anti-ship missles.
The OTH Strategy depends upon three pieces of equipment, the EFV (now Cancelled), the Osprey, and the LCAC. At least that is what the Marine Corps has used as a selling point for the EFV and Osprey Programs.
The LCAC (huge damn hover craft) is not usable as an Assault platform and is limited to logistics support to a secure beach head.
That leaves the Osprey to carry out OTH assaults.
We all know according to our Leatherneck friends that "tactics have changed from Vietnam Days" and Ospreys do not land in hostile landing zones (those under direct fire or known indirect fire and carry minimal defensive weaponry. You noted the lack of defensive armament yourself in the past.
So...what are your Marine colleagues saying about this situation re OTH now that the EFV has been scuttled? How does the Marine Corps accomplish their key mission of being the only service capable of Amphibious Assault to include their core strategy of OTH Littoral Assault?
They ain't got the EFV to do it?
Current Amtrac's are too slow and range limited.
There is not even a new EFV on the drawing board.
What kind Bell give them that will replace the short fall.....Huey's and a reversion to Vietnam Tactics of landing in amongst the Bad Guy's?
