The Death of the ACR as we know it?

[catman]

February 18, 2005: The U.S. Army has only one armored cavalry regiment left, and it is scheduled to be converted to one of the new UA (units of action) brigades next year. That event has triggered a debate in the army over whether the traditional concept of, ?fighting for information? is still valid. This involves using small units of tanks and other armored vehicles to fight your way into enemy territory, grab prisoners, documents or whatever, and bring it back. Along with your observations, photographs or whatever, you get a good sense of what the enemy is up to. The technique was developed by the Germans during World War II, and adopted by the other armies by the end of the war.

The German ?armored reconnaissance battalion? became the model for most current reconnaissance battalions. This technique has been used many times since World War II, but the current reorganization of the army?s brigades has left the fate of the ?armored cavalry? in doubt. The current divisions have a conventional armored cavalry squadron (what the cavalry people call a battalion) based on the World War II model. That means a mixed unit, with tanks, infantry fighting (armored) vehicles (IFVs), hummers, and lots of communications gear. The armored cavalry sends small teams, often a few guys in a hummer, out to scout, and especially check out things already spotted from the air (by helicopter scouts, UAVs, or even satellites.) These scouting teams are backed up by heavier teams of tanks and IFVs. If the scouts, on the ground or in the air, find a situation that needs a little muscle, in order to get the needed info, the heavy stuff can go in and do it. This was the genius of the original German concept. There were simply times when you had to fight for valuable information. But the new recon battalion will be called a Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition (RSTA) Battalion, and is currently designed to have no tanks or IFVs. But lots of UAVs and scouts in armored hummers.

The current armored cavalry regiment has 5,200 troops, 123 M1A2 tanks, 125 M3A2 Bradley IFVs, 16 AH-64 Apache attack helicopters, 24 OH-58D Kiowa scout helicopters, 15 UH-60L transport choppers, plus self-propelled artillery and lots of other gear. It's a small army, with supply and maintenance capabilities. The new RSTA brigades will have the supply and maintenance support, but no armor. Lots of UAVs and Internet access, but limited ability to fight for information.

There?s no indication that the ?fighting reconnaissance? is no longer useful. American armored cavalry was used with great success as recently as 2003, and the 3rd Armored Cav is going back to Iraq for a year, before returning for conversion to a RSTA brigade. What is still undecided is whether the RSTA brigade will drop the heavy armor. The reason for that is weight. The RSTA brigades are meant to be more portable, and without armor they can be flown half way around the world. While tanks and Bradleys can, in theory, be flown long distances, in practice it is rarely done. Takes up too many aircraft.

So over the next year, the debate will rage, trying to put a value on ?fighting for information?, and the wisdom of leaving at least some of the recon battalions with their armored vehicles. UAVs and helicopters can see, but only guys in a tank can go anywhere, reach out, and touch someone.