Australia commits to $3.5 billion tank purchase from the US

[dimsum]

Interesting tidbits from the article:

• Australia has not deployed a tank in combat since the Vietnam War
• The tanks will replace the army’s 59 Abrams M1A1s, which were bought in 2007 but have not seen combat
• The $3.5B includes other armoured vehicles, not just the M1A2s

Australia commits to $3.5 billion tank purchase from the US

The purchase has ignited debate in defence circles about the utility of tanks in modern combat.

www.smh.com.au

 

[KevinB]

Hey they are buying Bridgers too with their tanks, and Breaching Vehicles for their Engineers...

 

[OldSolduer]

Interesting tidbits from the article:

• Australia has not deployed a tank in combat since the Vietnam War
• The tanks will replace the army’s 59 Abrams M1A1s, which were bought in 2007 but have not seen combat
• The $3.5B includes other armoured vehicles, not just the M1A2s

Australia commits to $3.5 billion tank purchase from the US

The purchase has ignited debate in defence circles about the utility of tanks in modern combat.

www.smh.com.au

What are they doing with the old ones....since we bought used subs and F18s.......I know don't give them any ideas....

 

[dimsum]

What are they doing with the old ones....since we bought used subs and F18s.......I know don't give them any ideas....

Ironically, those 15-year old tanks are probably in better condition since they haven't been used in anger.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Ironically, those 15-year old tanks are probably in better condition since they haven't been used in anger.

Ironically, Singapore will probably have more tanks operating in Australia than the Australians. They haven't used their tanks in battle yet either, but they certainly intend to be ready if pushed:

New treaty allows SAF to train in vastly expanded area in Australia​

In total, the SAF will be able to conduct training for up to 18 weeks annually, involving up to 14,000 personnel for 25 years when the training areas are completed. This is up from six weeks and 6,600 personnel currently.

Training vehicles and equipment involved will also be increased from up to 500 now to up to 2,400 in 2028.

New treaty allows SAF to train in vastly expanded area in Australia

SINGAPORE - The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) will have access to a vastly expanded training area in the Australian state of Queensland following the signing of a treaty on Monday (March 23) between the defence ministers of the two countries. Read more at straitstimes.com.

www.straitstimes.com

 

[dimsum]

Ironically, Singapore will probably have more tanks operating in Australia than the Australians. They haven't used their tanks in battle yet either, but they certainly intend to be ready if pushed:

Admittedly I don't really get "Army" that well, but somehow I don't think Singapore is exactly tank-warfare territory.

So why do they have so many of them, and how would they get them back to Singapore if the balloon goes up?

 

[daftandbarmy]

Admittedly I don't really get "Army" that well, but somehow I don't think Singapore is exactly tank-warfare territory.

So why do they have so many of them, and how would they get them back to Singapore if the balloon goes up?

They've got strong mutual defence arrangements through ASEAN. And the Malayan Peninsula, as the Japanese proved, can be traversed by tanks.

I'm also guessing that they don't keep all their eggs in one basket either, so they'd have alot of firepower deployed on the penninsula at any point in time.

Their policy of 'Total Defence' (a.k.a. Everyone fights. Nobody Quits. Do your job or I'll kill you myself.) is pretty bad ass as a deterrent:

Total Defence (Singapore) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[dimsum]

Their policy of 'Total Defence' (a.k.a. Everyone fights. Nobody Quits. Do your job or I'll kill you myself.) is pretty bad ass as a deterrent:

 

[Kirkhill]

They've got strong mutual defence arrangements through ASEAN. And the Malayan Peninsula, as the Japanese proved, can be traversed by tanks.

I'm also guessing that they don't keep all their eggs in one basket either, so they'd have alot of firepower deployed on the penninsula at any point in time.

Their policy of 'Total Defence' (a.k.a. Everyone fights. Nobody Quits. Do your job or I'll kill you myself.) is pretty bad ass as a deterrent:

Total Defence (Singapore) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The Malaysian approaches to Singapore that were exploited by the Japanese on the road to Changi.

A well managed rubber estate in Malaysia Many rubber estates in the country are located on undulating or steep land, which are prone to soil erosion during rainy season. As such, contour terraces are needed to be constructed to prevent or reduce soil erosion, very much the case of oil palm estate. If this practice is carried out coupled with modern tapping technique there is no reason why Malaysia should not be a great rubber producer again, like it once was. Right now the price of rubber in the marketplace is very good and many farmers have since returned to the industry, for the good of the country.​

Hard to see from the air, but easy to move, and fire, through.



Changi.


And the Singaporeans had it worse.

 

[OldSolduer]

Ironically, those 15-year old tanks are probably in better condition since they haven't been used in anger.

ONLY 15!!! Why that`s practically new!!

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

Admittedly I don't really get "Army" that well, but somehow I don't think Singapore is exactly tank-warfare territory.

So why do they have so many of them, and how would they get them back to Singapore if the balloon goes up?

Ever been to Singapore? They are essentially a hyper-capitalist State that is also hyper-paranoid about all the Countries around them.

I saw more Military hardware floating and flying around Singapore than I have anywhere else.

Their Navy Base, Changi, is a bloody fortress. I was forbidden from taking pictures but lets just say there isn't anyone launching a frontal assault on that place.