Dominant Logistics
The Tracked Support Vehicle
Arguably, the most difficult aspect of logistics in the modern era is the issue of transportation. Historically, the U.S. has relied on a variety of trucks to provide transportation but this has become difficult in recent conflicts. As warfare has become increasingly assymetrical, transport vehicles have become more and more vulnerable to attacks from hidden forces. Exacerbating the matter is the fact that warfare has also become increasingly mobile placing greater pressure on our transportation assets.
As all of this has been going on, our forces needs for support have grown exponentially. Forces today require massive quantities of fuel and munitions to remain operational. This has resulted in larger and larger support vehicles that are more vulnerable and less mobile than ever before. Adopting the proposed palletization system will help to resolve some of these issues, but it is critical that we field a true tactical vehicle for executing the pallet concept. To address this need, we should field the Tracked Support Vehicle (TSV).
Tracked vehicles are inherently more mobile than wheeled vehicles because their weight is distributed over a much larger area than wheeled vehicles. The elimination of tires also eliminates the ability of opposing forces to shoot those tires out or for the tires to blow out on shrapnel, broken pavement, or sharp rocks. But tracked vehicles also possess a number of different attributes that make them ideal for use as support vehicles.
Tracked vehicles ride lower to the ground than wheeled vehicles because they don't require the extensive drivetrain systems that wheeled vehicles need. This results in a vehicle with a lower center of gravity (less likely to tip over or lose the load) that is also much easier to load (no ladders to climb to get in). This also means a vehicle that is lower in height so it is easier to transport and the vehicle can be armored without excessively increasing the weight (because we don't have the excessive weight of the drivetrain). Tracked vehicles can also pivot steer, making them far more manueverable in tight quarters. Tracked vehicles can also make use of hybrid powertrains without excessively complicating the vehicle because only two drive gears have to be powered as opposed to 4, 6, 8, or even 10 wheels. Hybrid powertrains dramatically increase range and overall efficiency. They also allow for the vehicle to be used as a power generation system without need for an extra system.
The ideal TSV would look similar to the existing M1108 Universal Carrier from United Defense. This design is based on the M113 chassis and could be modified into a TSV. The design already includes an armored cab and can also include an NBC over-pressure system (which the TSV should have). Band tracks are already available for this chassis allowing for reduced noise, road wear, and maintenance. There is also a hybrid powertrain system available that produces 500hp, as much as the engine in the current PLS (a much larger, heavier vehicle that hauls 33 tons of cargo). It also comes with a mount for an M240 machine gun and can be equipped with thermal sights and GPS tracking systems (like those available on the current PLS). Ironically, even with substantial armor, this vehicle only weighs two tons more than the current MTV and it weighs roughly the same as older 5 ton cargo vehicles. There is no problem transporting this vehicle with all available airlift assets; it can roll-on/roll-off of C-130 and with little work it should even be air-droppable if it isn't already.
If we outfit this vehicle with the proposed 7.5 ton PLS, we have the basic TSV. The dimensions of the pallet should come out to roughly 12' long by 8' wide which matches the current FMTV but can carry substantially more weight, which is desparately needed to meet our growing fuel and ammunition needs. Add a tracked, PLS-compatible trailer and we have the complete TSV package. Together, it can transport 15 tons of cargo on or off road and it transports in roughly the same amount of airlift space as the current MTV/trailer combination.
What we get is a vehicle robust enough to survive in a mechanized environment because it is armored, can operate electrically without a heat signature, is smaller than other support vehicles, and rides on tracks. But its also light enough to support light and Airborne forces and can even be air-dropped. It has the power and mobility to chase the Abrams and Bradleys with fuel and ammunition but its small enough and efficient enough to operate with the light forces without being a burden. Its equipped for night and NBC ops but will be equally at home in OOTW. And with the tactical pallet system, it can occupy virtually all support roles and yet it can load and unload itself.
The TSV could make the greatest impact of any system in the modern era of warfare. It offers survivability, mobility, and flexibility in a compact and maintainable package. Efforts to develop and field this system need to begin immediately. We can start with the current M1108 as a basic chassis and modify it as needed to work with the PLS system. Throw in a high output version of the already developed hybrid powertrain for the M113 series and this entire package could begin fielding in a couple of years. The time to start is now.
References:
http://logistics.about.com/library/weekly/aa031201.htm
http://www.g2mil.com/tracked-resupply.htm
http://www.angelfire.com/art/enchanter/logistic.html
http://www.angelfire.com/art/enchanter/hybrid.html
http://www.oocities.org/futuretanks/armorsachillesheel.htm
http://www.oocities.org/wheelsvstracks
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To reduce overall costs and get a little more flexibility within the tactical support fleet of TSVs, another version should also be available that mounts a fifth wheel for towing large trailers instead of the PLS. In particular, this vehicle is intended to pull a trailer with its own integrated PLS system that is designed to handle the 20' pallets used with existing PLS systems and ISO containers.
This trailer should be capable of carrying the full 16.5 tons that the 20' PLS is capable of handling. It should also ride on bandtracks for improved mobility. Ideally, the suspension should be capable of varying the vehicle height so that the TSV and trailer combination is roll-on/roll-off compatible with the C-130 even with some types of pallets mounted on the trailer.
This gives us a number of different capabilities. First is that we can now use the full spectrum of 20' pallets that are already available at the tactical level with a true tactical vehicle and at it's full weight capacity. This would include maintenance and medical shelters as well as cargo pallets of bulk ammunition, water, and fuel. In the case of the shelters, we would also have the option of using the shelter while it is mounted on the vehicle because it will be low enough to the ground that it will still be accessible in most situations. This also enables the TSV to carry a larger flatbed trailer that can be loaded with spare pallets or other types of bulk cargo.
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UPDATE
If the TSV is designed properly, it will have some additional capabilities that would be very useful. In particular, the basic TSV could be used as a multi-functional recovery vehicle for light forces even with the addition of specialized equipment. Given that the HMMWV at max payload only weighs less than 6 tons, even in its heaviest configurations, there is no reason that an properly designed guard couldn't be added to the front of the HMMWV that would allow a TSV to lift it onto its bed to haul the vehicle as a flatbed wrecker. Similarly, this feature would be a true maintenance asset for fundamental HMMWV repairs like changing tires - the TSV arm could lift the HMMWV sufficiently to replace the tire without the need for additional jacks or stands. This would be particularly beneficial in terrains like soft sand where it is extremely difficult to raise a vehicle and support it safely. If we make the bar interchangeable from front to rear, this would work as a complete towing package for the HMMWV in light forces.
For other M113 variants, a standard TSV should be more than capable of towing a crippled vehicle, and this is really all the capability you need here. The TSV has more than ample power and existing tow chains and bars should be plenty adequate. The hybrid powertrain of the TSV can serve other maintenance roles as well, including power for lighting and power tools in any tactical environment. And because this functionality is part of the basic TSV design, every unit will have integral recovery and maintenance capabilities.