Light Tank

The last light tank the US Army fielded was the M551A1 Sheridan.

To say that the Sheridan didn't do well is a bit of an understatement.

But that's also unfair.

While the teething problems were deep and severe, it was mechanically reliable at the end of its life.  Reliable enough to be visually modified for use as Fort Irwin's OPFOR to use as Soviet tanks.

The gun/launcher concept was simply too ambitious.

It didn't work well on the M60A2 "starship" either.  The much lighter Sheridan had the additional problem of cracking trunnions when firing conventional ammo.

But the last Sheridan left active service in 1997.

The Army has been trying to replace it since 1977!

The first likely contender was the RDF-LT, or LAV-75 I've written about several times.  This never got past prototypes.

There's a parade of 105mm gunned  light tanks vying for the job through the 90's which finally saw FMC's CCV-L selected as the M8 Buford in 1995.

Then it got canceled, in 1996.

Now we have a new contender!

General Dynamics Land Div. developed the Griffin II.

And I don't know why!

It's got the same armament as the M8.  It's heavier.  Appears to be the about the same size.  The extra mass might mean better protection, it's still heavier than the full-up stage III add-on armor the M8 could mount.

I'm thinking politics at play again.

I wonder if we're actually going to field any this time.  Historically, we adopt but don't buy...