....Is this the return of the M8 AGS from budgetary death?
Recently....in a very non-DOD approach, the Department of the Army has given the green-light to transfer 4 of the 5 remaining prototypes of the M8 Armored Gun System (AGS) to the 82nd after an Operational Needs Statement from the 18th Airborne Corps (of which the 82nd is part of) at Fort Bragg was 'kicked' upstairs to Army Forces Command that spelled out the the divisions need for a rapidly deployable vehicle with firepower that could be airdroped from an aircraft. The 82nd's requirement for an air-droppable weapons platform since it disbanded one of its battalions, 3rd Battalion of the 73rd Armored Regiment, which was equipped with the aging M551 Sheridan Armored Recon Vehicle during the mid-90's.
The M8 AGS, proposed in the mid-80's as a lightweight combat vehicle that could both be fitted aboard a C-130 and be air droppable was designed for use by Airborne & Light Infantry/Cavalry units was canceled as the DOD and the Army in particular struggled to fund other more pressing priorities during Clinton's reign as president....a time which saw the defense budget shrink and force levels considerbly lowered...by 700,000 service personnel. For several years after the cancelation of the AGS program, many other platforms currently being produced..most notably among the candidates were the Marine LAV-25, the Pandur lightweight vehicles used by Kuwaiti National Guard units and a upgraded varriant of the M113 family of APC's, none suited the need and the Divisional requirement went unfilled.
By Feb. 19th of this year though, G-3 (Army operations & plans office) which was reviewing the requirement with the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) completed their findings and approved the transfer of the existing M8's (kept in storage by United Defense LP, the projects contractor) to the 1st Battalion of the divisions 17th Cavalry Squadron providing its assault teams mobility, firepower and shock effect within their 'drop zone'. Currently only 4 M8 AGS systems will be deployed with the 82nd for atleast a 1 year period...this is because only 5 are left and the availability of parts for a system that was terminated 8 years ago are in short supply (they are either obsolete or not available.) I included a link to UDLP if you care to take a look.
Link
The M8 AGS capabilities are as follows:
Armed with a 105mm cannon, an ammunition autoloader(reducing the need for a manned loader), the ability to shoot on the move night or day to defeat targets up to a T-72 MBT, varrying Armor add-on levels depending on mission requirement (mix of ceramic/composite armor), Band Tracks, Hybrid electric propulsion, and a 3-man crew.
While there is no plans at this date to re-start the canceled program...one only has to imagine the possibility of it becoming a reality if the press on it is good. the M8 does fill in the gaps that the Stryker combat vehicle doesnt..most notably some bugs that crept up pertaining to the mounting of a 105mm cannon in its developement...and questions have arisen over its weight for air deployability..but even a modest reinvestment of the M8 AGS program would fill those gaps perfectly....Hopefully the admin will do the right thing and rescue the system from Budgetary death.