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Obama policy will cut US troops' force protection
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Back during the Democratic presidential primaries Senator Barack Obama alleged that US troops in Afghanistan were forced to use captured weapons because of a shortage of military equipment. He has spoken occasionally to reinforce this notion that he will fix military shortcomings and better protect our troops. Missed by the media is Obama's promise to cut systems designed to save the lives of soldiers on the battlefield.
In a campaign video, Senator Barack Obama outlines a policy statement on the military by promising to cut back on the development of Future Combat Systems (FCS). So what is FCS? FCS is a massive program designed to replace the US Army's now decades old equipment with new technologically advanced systems. Tanks, armored personnel carriers, artillery systems, even the HUMVEE will be replaced.
Integral to the suite of systems is the Active Protection System (APS). APS includes radar and launched projectile modules that detect and intercept incoming rockets and missiles. The system will be incorporated to the vehicle platforms and if a projectile like an RPG is detected it will knock it down. This will decrease the number of successful RPG hits which while not a big deal to a tank are devastating to lighter vehicles like the HUMVEE.
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Today, the RPG launcher remains one of the greatest threats to our men and women in Iraq and Afghanistan. As asymmetrical warfare becomes the norm for the projected future, militias and terrorist organizations will continue to use them.
This system will literally save American lives on the battlefield, not to mention the multi-million dollar military vehicle platform itself.
Did Senator Obama even know that his pledge specifically threatened the force protection capability of our soldiers?
The video below is of an FCS test showing an intercept. It appears to be against a PAM or Precision Attack Missile which is also part of FCS development.
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