combatreform.org/STRATEGICMANEUVER

1. ARMY WORLD-WIDE STRATEGIC OPERATIONAL
MANEUVER FOR THE 21st CENTURY
Army Aviation self-deploys Airdrop Artillery
Armored Gun Systems Alert, Agile Infantry
Airland
Army lease cargo RO/RO 747s
Armored Infantry Carriers
AF C-130Xs Air Assault
Amphibious
Air-Mech-Strike: A-W-S-O-M! Mike Sparks. Feb. 2002

2. Purpose of this presentation:
Articulate a way the U.S. Army can transform half of
itself to the most effective air-sea deployed fighting
force possible using primarily existing equipment,
that is not vulnerable to enemy anti-access strategies
and surveillance strike complexes at the lowest cost
and shortest amount of time (under 12 months). A
Surveillance Strike Maneuver Capability (SSMC).
It creates a robust, 2D/3D maneuver force that can
win both short-range and long-range fights while
protecting our men and women from harm, defeating
enemies by controlling the ground from them and
collapsing their will and means to resist employing
the full, accurate weight of America's military might.

3. * Half $4B Cost of new-purchase armored cars, available NOW using
mostly existing equipment; 1/2 U.S. Army transformed in under 12
months not just a handful of Brigades
* Army rapidly air-deploys by both Army owned/leased and USAF
aircraft dominant 3D ground maneuver forces to respond to world
conflicts, strategic lift shortfalls solved; overcomes enemy air/sea anti-
access asymmetric strategems; avoids space-based targeting
complexes, creates a Surveillance-Strike Maneuver Capability (SSMC)
* Robust 2D/3D ground forces insures precision strike kills targets---
not decoys/civilians, tracks more survivable than rubber-tired LAV-IIIs:
RPG protection without mobility loss; band-track speed, O/S costs,
noise/vibration, ease on roads same or better than wheels
* Army 2D/3D maneuver forces based on primarily existing C-130/cargo
747, CH-47 helicopter, air-transportable, off-road, amphibious, under
11-ton TRACKED armored vehicles; can win both close combat as well
as stand-off fights with digital situational awareness, organic and
supporting fires; costly LAV-III 20+ton armored cars cannot do this
* Rapid-deployable 2D/3D Army maneuver forces places hostile
governments at risk, often precluding conflicts, mobile defends with
our men under full armor, WMD protection, superior firepower
* Collapses enemies by 2D/3D maneuver encirclement/dislocation not
just hoping for escalating firepower to make enemies submit
*Plugs into Joint forces; insures full weight of American military might
brought to bear on enemies, quickly and decisively

4. SIZE STILL MATTERS IN GROUND
WARFARE: upgrades America’s existing mass-
produced mobility platforms with new
technologies since increasingly complex/costly
new systems are hand-built in ever smaller
quantities (Spinney’s “death spiral”)
Pre-loaded and ready to fly-away! USAF C-130s
M113A3 Gavins upgraded with upgraded with “J”
band-tracks, C4I, RPG-resistant propfans/engines,
applique’ armor, swim kits mid-air refueling
Army helos upgraded to self-
deploy using Piasecki
VDTP/wings
Leased 747s and reserve C-141Bs
Off-the-shelf air-transportable AFVs

5. AWSOM: strategically and tactically agile
2D/3D ground forces that offer NO easy
asymmetric weakness for an enemy to exploit
Space/Air Cover by
USAF/USN 2D/3D IBCTs
CONUS Coast 3D Assault Combat UAVs
Guard/USN
Echelon (AE)
NMD
3D/2D Follow-On-Echelon
Border Patrol Helo SEL
NG (FOE) 3D
Winged APS-6 Cargo 747s, USAF aircraft, CH-47F
Army helos (in C-5s or self-deploy) airdrop
C-130X
AGS
ISB
shuttle
AZ OBJ
APS-3 sealift airland
Twin 120 mortars
2D Light Mech
Humraam
TBAMs = Theater Ballistic
Artillery & Missiles Crusader
Patriot/THAAD
TMAMs = Tactical Mortars, Amphigavins speed
HIMARS/ATACMs
Artillery & Missiles link-up with 3D forces
Deep rear Rear Close/Far Deep
8,000 km back to CONUS 250 km from enemy TBAMs 50 km from TMAMs 300 km in enemy rear
All Echelons protected from enemy missile attack

6. UAVs/UCAVs
ROBUST 2D/3D BCTs win in
ANY situation Road Ambushes,
Mines, RPGs,
C4I verifies
missiles, obstacles, data, CAS
predictable = DEATH
City
Kills armor in
Tracked BCT Quality infantry
meeting
defeats enemy
x-country infantry engagements
mobile avoids
road threats RSTA verifies
targets hit not
decoys
Wins far 5-50km
2D Force Scout dogs fight
Swims across Wins close
3D Force
rivers/lakes 1-5km fight blocks,
Mobile Crusader, HIMARS, encircles
EFOGM, Twin 120mm mortar fire
isolates
support KILLS verified targets
severs
enemy

7. ASSAULT ECHELON
Quantity: Hand-built C-17s cannot be fielded in numbers to
meet IMMEDIATE year 2002 U.S. defense need of decisive Army
ground maneuver IBCTs anywhere in world in 96 hours; USAF
control disperses C-17s world-wide and makes maneuver force
delivery low-priority after delivery of USAF fighter-
bombers/ordnance to attempt to win war by air firepower alone;
no more Kosovos; ground maneuver insures targets not
decoys/civilians are hit by firepower, compels enemy to quit
Quality: C-17s cannot direct-deliver airland to dirt assault zones
without damaging turbofan engines; only turboprop C-130s can
STOL into dirt strips; airdrop best option for forced-entry,
anyway by faster massing of combat power
Conclusion, AF: Upgrade all C-130s to “J” standard propfans,
engines and mid-air refueling capable to strategically non-stop
self-deploy to help airdrop assault echelon and afterwards
shuttle FOE Army IBCTs from cargo 747s and sealift vehicles
and men at the ISB to the Assault Zone.
Conclusion, Army: Majority of IBCT combat vehicles must be
cargo 747 and USAF C-130 transportable into forward landing
assault zones without refuel facilities = must be no heavier than
16-tons and be TRACKED to not damage 747 floors

8. Light Mechanized Sapper Company (Airborne)
IBCTs cannot land unless area is secured
U.S. Army forced-entry units need an Armored
Combat Engineer capability to succeed against
enemy Surveillance Strike Complexes
A forced-entry Armored Combat Engineer
capability could be quickly created using existing
personnel & equipment
Costs to create this capability are small as most
logistics supports are already in place
This is an urgent national strategic priority that
8
has to be acted on immediately

9. U.S. Army XVIII Airborne Corps must be able to rapidly
air-deploy anywhere in the world to overcome enemy
Surveillance Strike Complex observation/fires--must be
able to clear Assault Landing Zones quickly and
without casualties: Light tracked armored vehicles
needed so decisive follow-on-forces can airland

10. Bird’s Eye view: even a Short Take-Off
and Landing (STOL) strip is a large area
for ground forces to secure and clear for
airlanding

11. Army Sappers must clear a The Threats
large open-area, minimally 3,000
feet by 100 feet landing strip of
all threats, obstacles and
foreign objects so rubber-tired
aircraft can airland follow-on-
forces in just 4 hours... Foot Soldiers vulnerable to enemy fires
*Small-Arms fire
*Mortars
*Machine Guns
*Grenade launchers
*Artillery
*Mines
*Obstacles

12. M113A3 Gavin Engineer Squad Vehicle: light
tracked armored vehicle in U.S. Army service
today...
M113A3 ESVs lead
way into Bosnia
FM 7-7
Goes U.S. Army Europe Immediate Reaction
anywhere! Force uses C-130 airlanded M113A3s

13. M113 Gavin Proven in combat;
on duty today all over the world
by free world armies...
Lebanon
Panama
East Timor
Vietnam
Iraq

14. M113A3 Gavin ESV Armor Protects Sappers from
enemy threats in order to accomplish the mission
Tracks not stopped by fires

15. M113A3 ESV tracked mobility delivers Sappers
rapidly/safely to clear large open areas; can push
aside, crush large vehicle-emplaced obstacles
without time-consuming hand reduction (dozer
blade, mine plows and bump guards can be fitted)

16. Current Light Airborne Combat Engineers DO
MICLIC on
M200 tracked NOT HAVE A WAY TO SAFELY FIRE THEIR
trailer
MICLIC/EMSC “Mongoose” mine clearing
charges!
Armored M113A3 ESVs can
tow, then fire rocket line
charges for Airborne Light
HMMWV trucks Mechanized Sappers!
MICLIC
Dump trucks
FMTV trucks
Sappers on foot =
No in-stride
breach capability!
M113 ESV with MICLIC in Desert Storm combat!

17. M113A3 Gavin ESV: 11-ton AFV easily
Airborne, rapidly deployable to anywhere in
the world by airdrop/airland
airland
airdrop
All needed expertise ready at Fort Bragg and Pope AFB

18. Airborne-qualified Sappers on jump status
already in place at Fort Bragg, North Carolina
to employ M113A3 Engineer Squad Vehicles
(ESVs) instead of rubber-tired, unarmored
HMMWVs: already successfully used at JRTC
Airborne Sappers @JRTC
with borrowed M113A3 ESV

19. M113A3 Gavin ESV: Air Assault transportable by
U.S. Army helicopters
Flies over enemy mines
and ambushes to do CE
operations on terrain of
our choosing like British
Army entered Kosovo in ‘99

20. M113A3 Gavin ESV: tracks off-road capable for bold
cross-country movement to avoid enemy
SSC observation/fires, ambushes and
secure/clear key terrain for maneuver forces
YES!
NO!
Tow cable to tracked
vehicle to pull LAV out
of mud

21. M113A3 ESV: amphibious capability forces
entry across rivers/lakes
Secures far side for
safe Bridging under
armored firepower
Army maneuver
forces cannot wait
on near bank for a
crossing under
enemy SSC fires!
We must forge ahead
and secure the far ground!

22. M113A3 ESV: Sappers situationally
aware, ready-to-fire =
force protection, mobility enabled
Firepower under
armor the enemy
is hard pressed
to stop--allows
Sappers to clear
areas of mines,
obstacles and enemy
360 degree security

23. M113A3 Gavin ESV: plenty of
space for CE equipment,
supplies, troop gear and a
full Sapper squad
Extra
space
LGH behind
spall liners
Sappers dismount with all
necessary gear to accomplish
mission--no rummaging for gear
strapped to outside

24. M113A3 ESV: applique armor
proof against small-arms fire,
RPGs, autocannon and shrapnel:
keeps on going, gets Sappers to
their objective
M113A3 LAV-III
M113A3 ESV: Harder to hit

25. M113A3 Gavin ESV: UPGRADES
C4I Band-Tracks
Remote gun station FLIR camouflage
Rollers/plows to clear obstacles

26. “Leap Ahead” hybrid-electric “stealth” IBCTs by upgrading existing air-
transportable tracked AFVs at a fraction of the cost of new-purchase, old-
technology diesel engine/drive rubber-tired armored cars
M113A4 Gavin
Hybrid
Electric Drive
AFV
* 600 mile range
* 60 mph Quiet/Fast roads
or x-country surprises
enemy, avoids targeting
* 24/7 sensor use
* M ore troop space

27. M113A4 Gavin FAMILY OF VEHICLES (FOV)
STEALTH ARMORED FIGHTING VEHICLES
THE TRANSFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATOR
Digital Dashboard Crew 2, Squad 10
Battery Bank
• Diagnostics • Soldier Friendly, Ergonomically Advanced
• Prognostics Interior Output Bank
• Monitoring Systems • Enhanced Interior Face-to-Face • AC / DC
• Joystick Communication • Rectifiers
• Equipment Plug-ins
3 Inverters
• (2) 250 HP Traction Motors
• Regenerative Braking
• Battery Management
Prime Power Unit
• 250 HP John Deere
Controller / Inverters • 200 Kw of Power
• Regulates Power Flows • 250 HP Generator
Band Track
SURPLUS POWER ADDED CAPABILITY
• Continuous Band of Rubber
• Extends Range to 600+ Miles Reinforced with Steel Cable(s)
• Stealth Operation
• Eliminates Separate Generators • Quiet Ride
• 10 Miles (Operation)
and Trailers • Reduced Vibration
• Cuts Fuel Requirements in Half • 30+ Hours (Watch)
• Improved Handling
• Makes Forward Units More Self- • Triples Acceleration, 0-20 MPH in
Reliant • Increased Agility 4 Seconds
• Recharges Batteries (Directed • Reduced Noise Levels • Integral On-Board Power Tools for
Energy) Maintenance Activities
• Operates Weaponry Reduces and Transforms the • 50+ mph road speeds
• Frees Soldiers for Other Tasks Existing Logistics Footprint 020701

28. Designated M113A3 Gavin ESVs: Twin TOW
ATGM launcher/.50 cal HMG pedestal provides
building and bunker-busting capability in MOUT
with HEP or FAE round, anti-tank self-defense

29. ...or Bradley 25mm/7.62mm/TOW 2-man
turrets can be fitted to designated M113A3/4
Gavin ESVs to provide bunker-busting fire:
still transportable in C-130 aircraft

30. Another option: 25mm/7.62mm pedestal gun
with TOW ATGM launcher for building/bunker-
busting capability
Singapore Armed
Forces M113 ULTRA

31. ASP-30 30mm Autocannon
Mounts on existing AFVs
Lethal to enemy troops,
vehicles, aircraft, buildings
Shoots same ammo as
Gas-operated, Easy to AH-64 Apache, AV-8B
maintain, clean, assemble, Harrier II
dissassemble

32. JAVELIN “FIRE & FORGET” FLIR MISSILE
“Fire & Forget”: Kills all tanks
missiles guides by top-attack
itself to target to 2.5 KM
using infared
Destroys
buildings,
Command Launch bunkers,
Unit is FLIR thermal aircraft by
imager capable of direct-
detecting enemy heat No backblast firing attack if
signatures signature selected

33. FOLLOW-ON ECHELON
Phase I
Quantity: Mass-produced 747s sit unused in U.S. southwest desert un-economical
for daily airline use; can be modified/leased with Roll-On/Roll-Off(RO/RO) vehicle
capabilities inexpensively to meet IMMEDIATE year 2002 U.S. defense need to
deliver decisive Army ground maneuver IBCTs anywhere in world in 96 hours; 50
cargo 747s (C-33s) pre-loaded with Army IBCT vehicles in fly-away condition
creates winged “Army Prepositioned Set-6” (APS-6); airborne version of APS-3
sealift. AF is retiring entire C-141B fleet with t-tails/rear ramps for parachute
airdrop, C-5As too old to maintain/fly daily in limbo; preserve a portion of this
airlift capability by reduced use. Both C-5As and C-141Bs have strategic range
and mid-air refuel capable. 50 x Cargo 747s deliver 1,273 short tons/day.
Quality: 747s can fly 6 x M113A3 or 20 x Wiesel-2 or 10 x BV-206S type AFVs or
400+ troops to extreme long ranges (8,000 miles) non-stop without refueling; large
pool of U.S. airline pilots available to fly APS-6, AF bases and Yuma Proving
Ground for airdrop in low-humidity SW U.S. available for APS-6 and monthly
training flights
Conclusion, AF: Transfer 25 x C-141Bs and USAFR crews to APS-6 to airdrop a
pre-loaded Battalion M113A3 AFV package to the assault echelon at the Drop
Zone and 25 x C-5As/USAFR crews to fly Army CH-47F/UH-60L/M helicopters to
the 747-capable ISB to shuttle FOE Army IBCT vehicles/men to the Assault Zone.
Investment in 10 x KC-33A tankers for APS-6 begins process to replace retiring
KC-135Rs.
Conclusion, Army: Majority of IBCT combat vehicles must be no heavier than 16
tons and be TRACKED to not damage 747 floors, save $ by upgrading existing
M113 Gavins frees funds to modify/lease APS-6 cargo 747s and buy M8 AGS light
tanks w/band tracks, UH-60 transportable AFVs (M973A2 BV-206S or Wiesel 2s)

34. 3D Forces
Winged APS-6
One 1x1 Bde set
150 x M113A3s
44 x M8 AGSs
60 x M973A2s
24 x UH-60L/Ms
12 x CH-47D/Fs
2D Forces
123 x M1 Heavy tanks
164 x M2 infantry FVs
100 x M113A3 Amphigavins

35. Light Mechanized Sapper Company (Amphibious)
Army prepo ships cannot offload unless area is
secure of mines, obstacles, gunmen
U.S. Army forced-entry forces need a sea-based
Combat Engineer capability to succeed against
enemy Surveillance Strike Complexes
A sea-based Armored Combat Engineer capability
can be created using existing Soldiers & equipment
Costs to create this capability are small as most
logistics supports are already in place
This is an urgent national strategic priority that
35
has to be acted on immediately

36. M113A3 “Amphigavin”
Low-cost kit adds AAV-like
boat nose, extra floatation
and waterjets to M113A3
Gavins, making them capable
of swimming from Large,
Medium Speed Roll-on/roll-
off Ships (LMSRs) of APS-3
www.arisspa.it/inglese/arisgator.htm

37. Option B: Amphigavins sling-loaded by helicopters from
causeway helipad alongside TAKR-300/310 ship
?
? Ramps may not need lighters underneath
Option A: Amphigavins swim to shore simultaneously
from stern, port, starboard RO/RO ramps, speeds offload
by 50%…speeds link-up inland with 3D forces

38. A M113A3 Amphigavins
driven by Soldiers off
TAKR-300/310 port and
starboard side ramps
It may not be necessary to have
lighters under ramps designed to
hold 140+ tons, 11-ton M113A3
Amphigavins could just splash
directly into water

39. Slewing Stern RO/RO
ramp up and being
lowered for M113A3
Amphigavin drive-off
into the water to swim
ashore...

40. B
Army CH-47D/F Chinook helicopters could be stored on
the emergency helipad of each TAKR-300/310. A helipad
that the vehicles can reach could be created using
barges on the ship’s sides for helicopters to pick-up
sling-loaded regular M113A3 Gavins or surf-zone
Amphigavins and other under 11-ton vehicles ashore if
waters are mined or other situations dictate a 3D
movement to shore. Refueling point(s) will have to be
set up on the barge helipads to enable the helicopters to
continuously shuttle vehicles to shore...

41. How do we
get 200 men to
the LMRS ships to
drive off 100 x
M113A3
Amphigavins?

42. Modify one APS-3 LMSR ship with berthing for 200 men
Before After
Fly Amphigavin crews to APS-3 ships then embark on LMSR
with berthing spaces for ocean voyage to objective

43. Earlier Boeing 347 Compound CH-47 Test Bed 1970s
Compound 190 knot Cruise Speed
CH-47G
SpeedChinook
Helicopter
Rework B-347 Project!
* Low-Wing
* Props or Ducted Fans
Powered by Engines
* 190 Knot Cruise
* $ 8-10 Million per Kit
* Ready in 2007
SpeedChinooks fly
M113A3 Amphigavin
Drivers/TCs and
Dismounts to APS-3
helipads at sea

44. C-130 Floatplanes
C-130J Hercules floatplanes
land near APS-3 ships prior to
off-load, Navy SBU
coaxswains shuttle men by
F470 Zodiac rubber boats to
Jacob’s ladder to board

45. TACTICAL AMPHIBIOUS MOBILITY INLAND
FIRE
DECISIVE MANEUVER = VICTORY

46. FOLLOW-ON ECHELON
Phase II
Quantity: Mass-produced Army helicopters provide a 3D capability to move Army
ground maneuver forces if they can be delivered to the AZ en masse; the best way
is to upgrade them to higher speeds/longer ranges to self-deploy without being
limited by the number of outsized USAF C-5/C-17 aircraft available.
Quality: Army UH-60Ms modified with USN/USAF R&D project Piasecki Vectored
Thrust Ducted Propellers (VTDP) and wings to unload the rotors reducing O/S
cost by 13%, provide forward thrust and lift to enable 200+ mph speeds and
2,000+ mile ranges. “SpeedHawks” with H-130 mid-air refueling capability can
also carry Army troops or a Streamlined External Load (SEL) Wiesel 2 or BV-206S
prime mover or trailer as it self-deploys from CONUS. Upon landing, it can be
refueled and take on troops/vehicles for 3D battle maneuver or be fitted with
weaponry, rockets and missiles to provide Close-Air-Support to ground maneuver
units. As soon as possible, all other Army helicopters modified to self-deploy
using VTDP/wings. Self-deploying Army SpeedHawks free the APS-6’s 25 x C-5As
to be pre-loaded with other important Army combat “slices”:
* Lightweight Crusader Self-Propelled rapid-fire, 40km range Howitzer
* Patriot/THAAD aircraft/missile defenses
* HIMARS/MLRS multiple launch rockets/ATACMs deep strike missiles
* Heavy M1 Abrams/M2 Bradley combat team
M8 Armored Gun Systems with 105mm guns capable of killing enemy tanks
loaded in C-141Bs in the APS-6 force. Some M113A3s upgraded with AMOS twin-
barrel 120mm rapid-fire gun-mortars as a second fly-away BN set.
UH-60 transportable Wiesel 2 or (M973A2) BV-206Ss replace all HMMWVs in APS-6

47. SUMMARY
* Cancel LAV-III/IAV purchase; upgrade M113s as IAVs
for Army IBCTs (band-tracks, applique’ armor, C4I etc.)
* Use cost savings to modify/lease 50 x cargo 747 APS-
6; pre-load with upgraded M113A3/IAVs
* Re-assign 25 x C-5As to carry Army helicopters and
25 x C-141Bs to airdrop a M113 Gavin Battalion for the
IBCT to winged APS-6, designate LMSCs
* Purchase M8 AGS light tanks, UH-60 transportable
AFV for the IBCT RSTA and 101st Air Assault Division
* Upgrade APS-3 M113A3s ocean-going Amphigavins
* Upgrade Army UH-60s to Piasecki VTDP/wings to self-
deploy with APS-6
* Upgrade USAF C-130s to “J” engines/propfans, mid-
air refuel capabilities

48. CONCLUSION
America’s Army can better, more inexpensively
transform itself with existing and some new purchase
TRACKED armored fighting vehicles to meet the goal
of a 96-hour IBCT 3D air-deployment backed by a rapid
2D heavy force sea-deployment immune to enemy
air/sea anti-access strategies, giving America World-
wide Strategic Operational Maneuver (AWSOM)
Surveillance-Strike Maneuver Capabilities.
The 4 Light Divisions and separate Brigades of the U.S.
Army can be transformed to Air-Mech-Strike IBCT
configuration in under 12 months to meet emerging
world-wide security threats. The 6 Heavy Divisions can
be configured with an M113A3 Amphigavin element to
speed APS-3 prep sealift offload and like up inland with
the 3D air element. The Air-Mech-Strike AWSOM plan
should be implemented immediately.

49. Biography of author:
Mike Sparks
dynmicpara@aol.com
itsg@hotmail.com
Michael L. Sparks is a 1988 graduate of Liberty University, has a
Bachelor’s of Science degree in history education. He leads a non-profit
think-tank, the 1st Tactical Studies Group (Airborne) originally based out
of Fort Bragg, North Carolina that has field-tested and proven many of
the equipment described above in this study, offering them for no
charge to the U.S. Army. Details are shown at the group's website:
www.geocities.com/equipmentshop

50. He has been involved in amphibious infantry, combat engineer,
logistics, civil affairs, Special Forces, light M113A3 mechanized
infantry, and heavy M2 BFV mechanized infantry units throughout his
21+year career. A prior service marine NCO and officer, he is a
graduate of Infantry Training School, Camp Pendleton, California,
Officer Candidate School Platoon Leaders Course Junior and Senior,
The (officer) Basic School, Infantry Officers Course, Israeli Airborne
School, Combat Life Saver, Retention, and U.S. Army Airborne School.
His numerous articles on military excellence have been published in
U.S. Army Infantry, Armor, Air Defense Artillery online, Special
Warfare, Logistician, the Rucksack, Armed Forces Journal
International, National Guard, Marine Corps Gazette, U.S. Naval
Institute Proceedings, Behind the Lines, SOF, Mountain Bike, Fort
Bragg POST, Fort Benning Bayonet and Military Review. He co-
authored the book "Air-Mech-Strike: 3-Dimensional Phalanx, full-
spectrum to dominate the 21st century" to critical acclaim last year,
now in its 2nd edition.