KomradeX posted:

Didn't the Aussies buy a bunch of M1s even though they have no way to transport them off Australia? Or was that just an exaggeration?

KomradeX posted:

Didn't the Aussies buy a bunch of M1s even though they have no way to transport them off Australia? Or was that just an exaggeration?

KomradeX posted:

Didn't the Aussies buy a bunch of M1s even though they have no way to transport them off Australia? Or was that just an exaggeration?

ModernMajorGeneral posted:

no, Australia has C17s that can transport the M1 as well as several landing ships.

of course we didn't have these things before getting the M1s so we needed to spend even more money. How inconvenient!

the other part is that we still can't transport enough M1s to do anything other than provide a symbolic contribution to America's wars, but no part of the Australian military is ever going to be able to do much more than that.

KomradeX posted:

Didn't the Aussies buy a bunch of M1s even though they have no way to transport them off Australia? Or was that just an exaggeration?

Frosted Flake posted:

and the RAN retired the tank landing ships that could carry them iirc.

Bar Ran Dun posted:

like why do you think ROROs were invented.

mlmp08 posted:

The craft come from the landing ship. LHD Landing Craft is in the name. The Abrams can be transported inside the ship. This is if you need an amphibious landing instead of going port to port on any number of ships.

here is a picture for you.

mlmp08 posted:

The craft come from the landing ship. LHD Landing Craft is in the name. The Abrams can be transported inside the ship. This is if you need an amphibious landing instead of going port to port on any number of ships.

here is a picture for you.

Slavvy posted:

What they should really do is build amphibious tanks that crawl along the sea floor like in total annihilation

Regarde Aduck posted:

Good luck, tank!

Slavvy posted:

What they should really do is build amphibious tanks that crawl along the sea floor like in total annihilation

Turtle Watch posted:

that’s a tank not a ship genius
e:actually now I’m not sure it might be an apc

Cuttlefush posted:

thats a bmp

gradenko_2000 posted:

why would you even need a dedicated ship just to make amphibious landings - the ANZACs didn't!!!

StashAugustine posted:

And they famously did really well in their amphibious landings!

Frosted Flake posted:

The Germans did this with Pz III, iirc.

Slavvy posted:

Lol what

Frosted Flake posted:

Hubbert posted:

Yeah, I can't see this going horribly across the English Channel (or anywhere else) at all.

Frosted Flake posted:

Slavvy posted:

Lol what

www.defense.gov posted:

. . .Army Gen. Laura J. Richardson, commander of U.S. Southern Command, described the challenges confronting the nations of the hemisphere, which range from actions by China and Russia and run all the way to transnational criminal syndicates.

Richardson emphasized the closeness of ties among the nations of the Western Hemisphere when she addressed the panel. She said the region is still under assault from a host of crosscutting transnational challenges that directly threaten the United States. "In the past year, I've traveled in the region, meeting with leaders to better understand these challenges and the threat they pose to our mutual interests," she said. "The world is at an inflection point: Our partners in the Western Hemisphere with whom we are bonded by trade, shared values, democratic traditions, family ties are feeling the impacts of external interference and coercion."

China continues to expand its economic, diplomatic, technological, informational and military influence in Latin America and the Caribbean, she said. China has the capability and intent to overturn international norms to advance "its brand of authoritarianism and amass power and influence at the expense of these democracies."

China has expanded its ability to extract resources, establish ports, manipulate governments through predatory investment practices and build potential dual-use space facilities, she said.

"Russia — an acute threat — bolsters authoritarian regimes in Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela and continues its extensive disinformation campaign," the general said. "These activities undermine democracies and challenge our credibility."

She said both China and Russia exploit the presence of transnational criminal organizations and work to amplify their destabilizing impact on democratic governments, spreading violence and corruption throughout the region and beyond.

"Their fentanyl-laced cocaine contributes to the deaths of Americans in cities and towns across the country," she said. "The good news is that working with our very willing partners leads to the best defense, and we must use all available levers to strengthen our partnerships with the 28, like-minded democracies in this hemisphere, who understand the power of working together to counter these shared challenges."