Latest news with #M-10
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
The US Army says it's scrapping a new light assault vehicle that got 'too heavy'
The US is canceling its M-10 Booker program, citing design flaws and redundancies. The light assault vehicle was deemed too heavy for its intended use. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth plans to shift US focus to advanced drone capabilities. The US Army is canceling its M-10 Booker light assault vehicle program as part of efforts to focus on advanced weaponry like drones. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll confirmed the move, calling the assault vehicle approved under the previous administration "a mistake," and citing issues with its 42-ton weight and design. "What came out of our procurement system wasn't good," he told reporters on Thursday, adding that the Army would learn from what had happened. Driscoll said it was too heavy for many of its intended missions, including operations like airdrops from US Air Force transport aircraft. The M-10 Booker, designed by General Dynamics Land Systems, is technically classified as an infantry support vehicle or "assault gun," rather than a traditional light tank. Development on it began in 2022, after General Dynamics was awarded a $1.14 billion contract. The Army originally planned to acquire over 500 M-10s, and initial deliveries took place in February 2024. It was the US Army's first new major armored vehicle in two decades, with the Army saying that it would allow "light maneuver forces to overmatch adversaries." Although initially conceptualized as relatively lightweight and air-droppable, its design evolution resulted in a vehicle too heavy to operate as intended. An issue realized only after it was too late, Defense One reported in late April. "This is not a story of acquisition gone awry," Alex Miller, the Army's chief technology officer, told the outlet. "This is a story of the requirements process creating so much inertia that the Army couldn't get out of its own way, and it just kept rolling and rolling and rolling." The cancellation of the M-10 Booker program is part of a wider restructure ordered by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. In an official memo released on Thursday, Hegseth called for a strategic move away from many longstanding assets like Humvees and helicopters toward areas like advanced drone capabilities. As part of this, Hegseth said that every division of the US Army should be equipped with drones by the end of 2026. He called for crewed attack helicopter formations to be restructured and augmented with "inexpensive drone swarms capable of overwhelming adversaries." The memo instructed Army leadership to aggressively reassess inventory, terminate funding for "obsolete systems," and cancel or reduce programs deemed "ineffective or redundant." Beyond the M-10, areas targeted for cuts include some crewed aircraft, ground vehicles, and older generations of unmanned aerial vehicles. Read the original article on Business Insider
Business Insider
02-05-2025
- Automotive
- Business Insider
The US Army says it's scrapping a new light assault vehicle that got 'too heavy'
The US Army is canceling its M-10 Booker light assault vehicle program as part of efforts to focus on advanced weaponry like drones. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll confirmed the move, calling the assault vehicle approved under the previous administration "a mistake," and citing issues with its 42-ton weight and design. "What came out of our procurement system wasn't good," he told reporters on Thursday, adding that the Army would learn from what had happened. Driscoll said it was too heavy for many of its intended missions, including operations like airdrops from US Air Force transport aircraft. The M-10 Booker, designed by General Dynamics Land Systems, is technically classified as an infantry support vehicle or "assault gun," rather than a traditional light tank. Development on it began in 2022, after General Dynamics was awarded a $1.14 billion contract. The Army originally planned to acquire over 500 M-10s, and initial deliveries took place in February 2024. It was the US Army's first new major armored vehicle in two decades, with the Army saying that it would allow "light maneuver forces to overmatch adversaries." Although initially conceptualized as relatively lightweight and air-droppable, its design evolution resulted in a vehicle too heavy to operate as intended. An issue realized only after it was too late, Defense One reported in late April. "This is not a story of acquisition gone awry," Alex Miller, the Army's chief technology officer, told the outlet. "This is a story of the requirements process creating so much inertia that the Army couldn't get out of its own way, and it just kept rolling and rolling and rolling." The cancellation of the M-10 Booker program is part of a wider restructure ordered by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. In an official memo released on Thursday, Hegseth called for a strategic move away from many longstanding assets like Humvees and helicopters toward areas like advanced drone capabilities. As part of this, Hegseth said that every division of the US Army should be equipped with drones by the end of 2026. He called for crewed attack helicopter formations to be restructured and augmented with "inexpensive drone swarms capable of overwhelming adversaries." The memo instructed Army leadership to aggressively reassess inventory, terminate funding for "obsolete systems," and cancel or reduce programs deemed "ineffective or redundant." Beyond the M-10, areas targeted for cuts include some crewed aircraft, ground vehicles, and older generations of unmanned aerial vehicles.
Straits Times
01-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Trump's defence chief wants streamlined army focused on advanced weapons
Mr Hegseth ordered the Army to end procurement of obsolete systems, and cancel or scale back ineffective or redundant programmes. PHOTO: REUTERS WASHINGTON – US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth wants the Army to shed outdated weapons and vehicles and increase its use of drones as part of a broad overhaul of the military's largest service. In a directive signed on April 30 and released on May 1, the Pentagon chief ordered the Army to 'end procurement of obsolete systems, and cancel or scale back ineffective or redundant programmes' including manned aircraft, excess ground vehicles and what it said were outdated unmanned aerial vehicles. US defence officials have pointed to the war in Ukraine as instructive, citing Ukrainians' reliance on drones and constant innovation to counter Russia. US President Donald Trump and advisers including Mr Elon Musk have called on the US to rely more on unmanned aircraft, and even the newly announced F-47 stealth fighter jet is intended to operate in tandem with drones. Defence Innovation Unit Director Doug Beck told lawmakers on May 1 that the Pentagon struggles to keep pace with China, which dominates the market for commercial drones and parts, while Ukraine has been producing thousands of drones per day. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, appearing on Fox News alongside General Randy George, the Army chief of staff, said the war in Ukraine has demonstrated that 'the old way of doing war will no longer suffice.' Mr Trump and Mr Hegseth expect Army leaders 'to go make the hard decisions and the hard changes to reallocate our dollars to best position our soldiers to be the most lethal that they can be,' they said. Many of the proposed changes align with those pursued under Mr Trump's first term and the Biden administration, including a focus on long-range precision fires and developing counter-drone capabilities. Mr Hegseth, who has spoken frequently about the need to trim 'fat' from headquarters and focus resources on war-fighting, ordered the consolidation of several commands, including one established under the first Trump administration. The secretary has complained that the US military is top-heavy, and the consolidation effort could reduce the number of senior officers. M-10 cancelled The Army is also moving to scrap purchases made during the previous administration. Mr Driscoll said his first major acquisition decision was cancelling the Biden-era M-10 'Booker' light tank that has turned out too heavy for many of its intended missions, including airdrop. 'We made a mistake,' Mr Driscoll told reporters on May 1. 'What came out of our procurement system wasn't good,' he said, adding the Army will 'learn from this bad process that got us to this bad outcome.' General Dynamics Corp was awarded a US$1.14 billion (S$1.49 billion) contract in June 2022 for the production and fielding of up to 96 M-10 systems, and the first delivery was made in February 2024. Each early-production version is expected to cost about US$12.8 million, according to the Congressional Research Service. BLOOMBERG Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
