the forces we have are hideously small and whilst they have some excellent equipment it isn't where it should be and available in only small numbers. Just as we had the world's first fully mechanised army (BEF) to send to the Continent... just that the opposition had read Fuller's doctrinal pieces ...

I think these comments apply equally to the UK and that as a nation we have become equally complacent

https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-arm ... Socialflow

Great I'm very pleased to hear that. Do we have enough of them to fight a major conflict and sustain losses? Is there sufficient GBAD to protect them from air attack, since being bigger they can more easily be located? Are they mobile enough to make a difficult target for the enemy to locate and des...

I'd recommend "The Defence and Fall of Singapore 1940-42" by Brian P Farrell, his political analysis isn't one I completely agree with but the details of the campaign and individual battles is fairly good. On the subject of Japanese tanks they were no match for western tanks, indeed a few ...

The Japanese had the tanks in Malaya and we didn't (we had armoured cars and a few machine gun armed light tanks, some without guns but no battle tanks) the Japanese did and used them well to offset almost every defence that we tried to establish. We did have an artillery advantage but were still ou...

What experience do you have of armoured reconnaissance or armoured warfare? In the past I've been attached to 16/5 Lancers and the Household Cavalry Regiment in the Armoured Reconnaissance Role and 1st The Queens Dragoon Guards in the armoured role when it was equipped with Challenger 1. It is no ex...

The Jagdtiger of which I wrote suffered 20% combat losses, most of the balance broke down and were destroyed by their crew. Of that 20% destroyed the majority were to airpower and it was fear of allied airpower which restricted their use. The Germans once built huge and massively protected vehicles ...

The Germans once built huge and massively protected vehicles immune from any battlefield threat. They got destroyed by air power and their size made them very easy targets.

If we need armoured Personnel Carriers that'll be able to withstand 50mm cannon we don't need Mastiff or any of the 8x8 APC's being trialled. What we need then is something like the Israeli Assault APC's based on a tank with the turret removed a sort of modern day Kangeroo. But in the UK context ou...

You haven't given a single fact yet, you've ignored or questioned lots; to which I might add not everyone relies on google for their information so unless I somehow produce lots of users in person its impossible to link them. What I can do is suggest that you search DII for further information if yo...

Mastiff/Ridgeback/Cougar/Badger family of vehicles The limited mobility issues were first brought about with the introduction of the up armoured Mastiff variant of Cougar, experience since the introduction into service and post operations in Iraq shows that the Mastiff has far greater mobility poten...

You seem somewhat obsessed with the idea of APC's fighting each other as if it were a proxy form of tank warfare. That isn't what they do "Given how ERA works" is a mis-attribution. ERA only "works" against kinetic rounds when there is a singular round. Autocannons do not fire a...

That is still simply a way for the UK to pour money into the eu economy. We shouldn't do that, not whilst the relationship between the UK and eu is decided and the eu stops it's political and economic campaign against us. Even afterwards I'd rather see the contracts go to a UK company or even Americ...

The vehicle is rated against cannon over the sides and rear. It isn't a car windscreen in the front any more than it is in Fuchs or VAB, it's armoured and drop down screens with vision slits are available if required they can be purchased, supplied and fitted very quickly as can an additional armour...

I have two points to make here. The first is about Dr Karbers informative video I discussed it last night and this morning with a good friend that I served with many years ago. As well as being ex British Army in a combat arm, he also fought in the Lebanon against the PLO and Syrians as a mercenary ...

Exactly the point I've been trying to make. In the morning I'll try and dig out my notes on the vehicles we used with Med Gp when I was Sgt Major on their protection force. To be blunt, the spec sheet doesn't lie and soldiers are a fickle bunch. The spec sheet may not lie, but they are also somewhat...

The Data sheet say's very clearly prior to the the additional armour package i.e a bare hull. We don't use it without that armour package which turns Cougar into Mastiff Just so I know who I'm talking to are you serving or ex military? and do you work in a defence related industry? Also Cougar with...

Just so I know who I'm talking to are you serving or ex military? and do you work in a defence related industry? Also Cougar without additional armour reaches Level 3 and therefore so does Mastiff Level 3 Kinetic Energy 7.62×51mm AP (WC core) at 30 meters with 930 m/s[1] Angle: azimuth 360°; elevati...

(On not being resistant to autocannons) What has this to do with armour protection and many vehicles mount only an RWS with machine gun Fire power and protection are separate issues. You were arguing that the Mastiff does not have a cannon. Are you forgetting that variants of the Ajax don't have a ...

Remember Mastiff series is one of the most heavily armoured APC's in the world...and in that respect Mastiff matches the best. No it isn't This is complete falsity. In certain respects it is It isn't even close the one of the best protected APCs in the world. What has this to do with armour protect...

I repeat, there is no money to train today. What more are you going to give in order to buy something we do not really need only desire. Should the defence budget be used to support foreign industry at the expense of training it's own men? What capability are we going to surrender, or are you prepar...

What capability are we going to surrender, or are you prepared to surrender, for an expensive programme of vehicles which may well be desirable but are not essential? Remember Mastiff series is one of the most heavily armoured APC's in the world, it is also reliable, proven, in service and adaptable...

That would be me, I did an exchange with 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 28th Infantry Division in 2011 after they had returned from Iraq where they had suffered extensive casualties. If I hadn't completed that exchange and heard their opinions on both Stryker and what they called MWRAP I wouldn't...

I'd rather trust the judgement of the soldiers using Mastiff, who like it and are confident in it than anyone in government, someone who works in the defence industry or someone sitting at home as an interested observer. The soldiers I spoke to who use and maintain Mastiff like it and have confidenc...

I have a number of friends in a unit that was using Mastiff in the Heavy Protected Mobility role in the UK and others who are REME supporting them. They all expressed some surprise at the effectiveness of Mastiff and the way it could be used, even mobility was better than they expected. Given that w...