Bridge or Barrier: Does the Crusader Self- Propelled Howitzer Have a Weight Problem
Abstract
The American Army's current fleet of self-propelled howitzers is largely outmoded and at its limit, due to space and weight constraints, to be upgraded. This fire power shortfall is the impetus behind development of a new self-propelled howitzer designed to not only overcome current shortfalls but to remain in the Army inventory for the next forty years. The Crusader self-propelled howitzer system is the new cannon currently under development. The problem is that its weight of 110 tons combat-loaded (fifty-five tons each for the howitzer and the resupply vehicle) simply does not fit nicely with the current vision of agile, quickly deployable forces operating on the future battlefield as described in Joint Vision 2010 and in the Army After Next. In a period of increasing competition for scarce Defense Budget dollars, critics have highlighted the system's reduced transportability due to its weight as marginalizing its value to the Army. In a 6 April 1998 interview in Army Times the Chief of Staff of the Army, General Dennis Reimer, defended the Army position in developing the Crusader noting that such "criticism ignored the increased tactical capability of the gun." This monograph examines the question of whether the Crusader's tactical capabilities offset its weight. The monograph begins with an examination of the Crusader system and the environment in which it is expected to operate. Because any conflict has two sides, the environment is not only considered from an American viewpoint, but also from the view of how threat artillery systems may evolve. The Crusade's tactical capabilities, namely increased force effectiveness, survivability, flexibility, and the ability to support a broader range of missions, are derived from this information. Finally, the monograph analyzes the Crusade's transportability.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 16, 1998
- Accession Number
- ADA366360
Entities
People
- Steven M. Merkel
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College