Use of a Vehicle in CONUS

[pmulcahy11b]

I have learned in my research of the Bison MRTV, is that at JRTC employs 12 Bisons and one Bison MRTV. What would be their fate in T2K? JRTC is at Fort Polk; the Mexicans and/or Russians may make a side trip to snap up the US vehicles left there --possibly met by heavy resistance the entire way.

[Olefin]

I dont think either the Russians or the Mexicans ever made it to Fort Polk - if you read the US Army Guide and where the units based in Louisiana are I am pretty sure that's where they are based - i.e. that the enemy never got there

[unkated]

I note that the CDF first began to stock the Bison in 1990. Can you find when the US acquired MRTVs?

Without further data, it seems to me that it would be be a while until...

- Deliveries of MRTV variants would appear, IFVs being sought first
- Once delivered, a few years of use until the CDF praised them highly enough for the US military to look into ethir use and purchase
- Further delay of fighting through the US procurement process.

It seems unlukely to occur before 1996, at which point CDF would be less willing to share factory output - or the US be willing to expend effort retarining on new vehicles if not necessary.

Uncle Ted

[StainlessSteelCynic]

I agree with unkated's assessment but I'd also speculate that such a small number could indicate that they were obtained for trails & assessment probably as a precursor to the US Army's adoption of the Stryker vehicle family, (taken into US service in 2002).
Given that the Cold War is ongoing, the motivation for obtaining the Stryker would not have arisen and if we assume (in the real world) the Bisons were obtained to assess & develop the Stryker Brigade concept, would the US Army actually have motive to acquire the Bison in the T2k world?

[Raellus]

I'm all for "exotics" but, as far as I can tell, the Bison isn't a whole lot different that the LAV-25, already in service with the USMC and the T2K-era U.S. Army. Why would the DoD be looking at the Bison when both vehicles are based on the MOWAG Piranha? It's an intriguing mystery.

[Olefin]

FYI

Mentioning Fort Polk had me look up some units and where they were located in canon - and realized why the writers used Camp Beauregard as the rally point in LA as opposed to Polk after I looked at some dates.

You would think that the home of the 5th Mechanized Division would have been the better place because the JRTC was there as well. However when you look at the dates the canon was written you can see why the JRTC isnt a factor in what is going on in the canon - it didnt go to Chafee in Arkansas until 1987 (after most of the original canon had been written) and not to Polk until 1993.

However you wonder if the JRTC would have been moved there with the 5th still there. In reality the 5th was deactivated in 1992 and thus the base was available for the JRTC to be moved there.

So given the 5th still being a going concern at the start of the war, would the JRTC still be at Fort Chafee? If so I dont see MilGov or CivGov (i.e. the 108th Division) pulling out of Arkansas as was mentioned in the canon - not with the JRTC and the men and equipment there still being in place

[unkated]

Originally Posted by Raellus

I'm all for "exotics" but, as far as I can tell, the Bison isn't a whole lot different that the LAV-25, already in service with the USMC and the T2K-era U.S. Army. Why would the DoD be looking at the Bison when both vehicles are based on the MOWAG Piranha? It's an intriguing mystery.

It isn't is much the Bison part as the MRTV at the end of the name: Mobile Repair Team Vehicle

(There's a bunch of sites I cannot look at during working hours due to limitations placed by my employer. However...)

From Paul's site: "The Bison MRTV is also fitted with 3 floodlights and outriggers and stabilizers for use during crane and winching operations."

However, there is a Press release titled 'Bison Mobile Repair team vehicle Deleivered to CF' dated 29-May-2009; this is perhaps a moot issue for T2K.

Uncle Ted

[swaghauler]

It would be interesting to see what kind of "clandestine" armored vehicles would be in use by either US or Mexican forces in Texas. Texas Armoring of San Antonio always has a half dozen or so armored cars, and at least a couple of "civilian" up-armored vehicles for sale on their lot at any given time. I wonder who might be driving an armored BMW 5 Series, or Suburban SUV in Twilight?

[Olefin]

Originally Posted by swaghauler

It would be interesting to see what kind of "clandestine" armored vehicles would be in use by either US or Mexican forces in Texas. Texas Armoring of San Antonio always has a half dozen or so armored cars, and at least a couple of "civilian" up-armored vehicles for sale on their lot at any given time. I wonder who might be driving an armored BMW 5 Series, or Suburban SUV in Twilight?

would make a heck of a command car or recon vehicle

and could see the Family commanders down in Brownsville driving cars like that

[mpipes]

I don't see the US adopting the Bison or a variant. I think they would have gone with procuring LAV-25 variants to take advantage of the established logistics trail rather than trying to introduce a wholly new vehicle. Moreover, the LAV-25A1 is more heavily armed and armored.

[Adm.Lee]

Originally Posted by Olefin

However when you look at the dates the canon was written you can see why the JRTC isnt a factor in what is going on in the canon - it didnt go to Chafee in Arkansas until 1987 (after most of the original canon had been written) and not to Polk until 1993.

However you wonder if the JRTC would have been moved there with the 5th still there. In reality the 5th was deactivated in 1992 and thus the base was available for the JRTC to be moved there.

So given the 5th still being a going concern at the start of the war, would the JRTC still be at Fort Chafee? If so I dont see MilGov or CivGov (i.e. the 108th Division) pulling out of Arkansas as was mentioned in the canon - not with the JRTC and the men and equipment there still being in place

Given that JRTC is about learning to fight guerrillas somewhere, and 1996-97 sees the US Army faced with the Big War that it's institutionally REALLY wanted to fight since 1950, why would there still be a JRTC at all?

IMO, Polk would have been turned over to one of the basic training divisions that were cannibalized into LIDs.