What's New, Pussycat?

Bonzo goes to Bitburg then goes out for a cup of tea
As I watched it on tv somehow it really bothered me
--Bonzo Goes to Bitburg, The Ramones
Then someone yelled "Contact!" and the bloke behind me swore
We hooked in there for hours, then a Godalmighty roar
Frankie kicked a mine the day that mankind kicked the moon,
God help me, he was going home in June
--I Was Only 19, Redgum
______________
Ranger Question of the Day:
Why not just buy old BMP's?
______________
As I watched it on tv somehow it really bothered me
--Bonzo Goes to Bitburg, The Ramones
Then someone yelled "Contact!" and the bloke behind me swore
We hooked in there for hours, then a Godalmighty roar
Frankie kicked a mine the day that mankind kicked the moon,
God help me, he was going home in June
--I Was Only 19, Redgum
______________
Ranger Question of the Day:
Why not just buy old BMP's?
______________
It looks strangely like a rebirth of the old Soviet 1967-80's era BMP, a tracked tactical personnel carrier. At $13.5 billion, it is a good piece of change to upgrade and old concept.
According to the Encyclopedia of Tanks and Armored Fighting Vehicles (Bishop), the currently employed BMP3, a continuation of the 1 and 2 series, is the best armed ICV in the world. Russia, Cyprus, Kuwait, South Korea and UAE use the BMP3. It looks like we are reinventing the wheel.
The EFV's are also similar to the old BMD's, Airborne Combat vehicles which entered service in 1969.
In a nutshell: Why are we spending $13+ billion to develop a new fighting vehicle that replicates what the Russians had on the ground in 1967 and have been continually improving until today?
--Jim
Labels: BMP's, EFV, reinventing the wheel