I had assumed between the UOR's for Latvia, ATGMR, reading on here about mortars being brought back to the battalions, that the CA has acknowledged the need for those (integral ATGM's and Mortars) and "re integrating them" was a current work in progress- therefore any hypothetical discussion of a near future LAV Bn in LCSO was assuming they would be so equipped.
So just to be clear-
- when you stated that a LAV Bn without attached tanks was only suitable for security tasks in LSCO that was in reference to a "current state" LAV Bn without integral mortars and ATGM's of the appropriate quality and quantity?
- a doctrinally equipped LAV Bn with proper platoon level anti-armour weapon, mortar platoon, AT platoon would be able to be employed in an LCSO defense without having tanks attached?
Doesn't that depend entirely on the armament of the LAV equipped "Armd Cav" Sqn relative to the state of the LAV Bn it's being attached to?
Like sure, adding a squadron in LRSS/TAPV to a "current state LAV Bn" doesn't really change the equation - less so to a doctrinally equipped one. But a Sqn in
@PrairieFella 's Jaguar, or a LAV Desert Viper with a 50mm and twin ATGM added to a "current state" Bn? Or one that has found the PY's for a mortar platoon, but had neither the PY's nor the ATGMR project scope* to stand up a proper mounted AT platoon?
* My cynical guess is that ATGRM is limited to putting a dismounted launcher/CLU into every platoon/troop weapons det.
As always, I'm likely way off base, but the way I see it
- the RCAC has 1/3 committed/equipped to tanks, 1/3 committed equipped to Recce (undergunned CAV), 1/3 looking for a home
- the role the RCAC wants to carve for itself is providing mounted firepower to the army
- the LAV Bn's in their current state lack the punch to mount a defense in LSCO, and the RCIC lacks the PY's to man the doctrinal punch needed
Answer to thought experiment: How to set up a (near) current state symmetrical LAV based CMBG for LSCO in Latvia?
- Fast track ATGMR to get proper ATGM's at platoon
- Prioritize PY's/ Reserve integration to get Mortar platoons back
- Fast track LAV CFV procurement for 65-75 such vehicles
- Buy everything else needed to scale from sustaining a BG to a Bde
At that point a symmetrical 1/3 of the (mounted) Combat Arms would be
1x LAV LRSS Sqn
1x LAV CFV Sqn
1x Leo Sqn
2x LAV Bn (w/Bn Mortar Platoon, ATGM held at at platoon)
Baseline organization
1 Squadron cavalry screen/ guard
2 Lav BG's "Up" in Cover/ Defense- firepower augmented by Half CFV squadron each, Both Bn's less one Inf Platoon
1 Leo Combat team as reserve/ counterpunch, augmented by 2x Lav Platoons.
No one would confuse it for an American ABCT, and of course it would be better if the CFV squadron was in tanks- but could it hold it's own as a Bde in in a defensive role?