Wartime production

[Legbreaker]

And there I was thinking the LAV-75 was 1st ed and the M8 2nd ed and essentially the replacement/successor to the cancelled LAV-75.

[Olefin]

And there I was thinking the LAV-75 was 1st ed and the M8 2nd ed and essentially the replacement/successor to the cancelled LAV-75.

From what I remember the M8 showed up in Challenge Magazine between the two versions of the timeline - so thats a real question - is the LAV-75 V1 only and the M8 V2 only

Given the real timeline (i.e. not the game) the most likely answer would be that the M8 is the reality for both timelines (with the LAV-75 a rejected prototype) and should be used in place of the LAV-75 everywhere it is mentioned in the original game and modules

After all the M8 was greenlighted for production in reality - only cost cutting kept it from going into serial production - it had passed all testing and was approved by the Army - versus the LAV-75 which wasnt

Thus you would have the three different tank plants - the one making the M1, the one (or two) making the Stingray and the one making the M8

I know this has been discussed before but dont remember if there was ever a general agreement on this issue (i.e. LAV-75 versus M8 for both timelines)

[kato13]

Given the real timeline (i.e. not the game) the most likely answer would be that the M8 is the reality for both timelines (with the LAV-75 a rejected prototype) and should be used in place of the LAV-75 everywhere it is mentioned in the original game and modules

I did close to this for my V1 game. I had a small production run of Lav-75s (40) to allow for the 101st to have a lt tank capable of being airlifted by CH-47s. I only had 13 deployed with the 101st in A company - 1/705 Armored (Tank destroyer)

[Olefin]

I did close to this for my V1 game. I had a small production run of Lav-75s (40) to allow for the 101st to have a lt tank capable of being airlifted by CH-47s. I only had 13 deployed with the 101st in A company - 1/705 Armored (Tank destroyer)

I could see also possibly another run of them after the TDM if you allowed for both - i.e. Lima has been nuked and further production at the M1 plant is out of the question given the damage to the electrical grid in the area - with the nukes at Kennedy and in New Orleans probably doing the same for the the Stingray plants - so the Army needs tanks and the only place they can get them is either York PA (which couldnt expand production much given they are also making M109's, Bradley's and M88's) or the plant making the LAV-75 - and thus (at least as long as the power stays on and there are parts coming in) a new order is placed for the LAV-75 and whatever is made gets shipped overseas and nationwide in 1998-1999 - so you have a mix of Bufords and LAV-75 possibly

[Olefin]

fyi from https://fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/m8-ags.htm as to how many M8's the Army was looking to produce when the order was placed in 1996 in our timeline

The FMC XM8 was designed to combine a tank's firepower with a highly mobile, air-droppable vehicle. AGS was intended to be the Army's new combat vehicle, but in the form of a highly deployable, light-weight vehicle, with high fire-power and reconfigurable armor protection. The AGS was intended to replace the M551A1 Sheridan in the 82nd Airborne Division, and was expected to replace TOW-equipped HMMWVs in the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment (Light). A total of 237 systems were planned for procurement. The cancellation of the M8 Armored Gun System left the US Army airborne forces dangerously low on firepower.

The total program cost, including development, was estimated to be $1.3 billion. The Army had planned to procure 26 low-rate initial production vehicles with 1996 funding of $142.8 million

[swaghauler]

Don't forget that there could be a real-world LAV 75... actually the LAV 76. The 76mm OTO Melara Naval Cannon has a turret that can be fitted to an AFV. The US could have copied the idea with surplus 76mm OTO Melara's. This may have been initially deployed as a heavy AA self-propelled Gun and then pressed into service as a "bunker buster" when AFVs become scarce.

[Olefin]

Don't forget that there could be a real-world LAV 75... actually the LAV 76. The 76mm OTO Melara Naval Cannon has a turret that can be fitted to an AFV. The US could have copied the idea with surplus 76mm OTO Melara's. This may have been initially deployed as a heavy AA self-propelled Gun and then pressed into service as a "bunker buster" when AFVs become scarce.

Sounds like a great idea to me

[swaghauler]

Sounds like a great idea to me

OTO Melara actually has a pretty cool video about it. It looks like it's mounted on a Mowag Pirahnna to me.

[RN7]

American Armoured Vehicle Production

1) Lima Army Tank Plant, Ohio. Main General Dynamics production centre for M1 tank.
2) Detroit Arsenal Tank Plant, Michigan. General Dynamics closed the Detroit Tank Plant in 1996 due to the end of the Cold War, but in T2K the Cold War never ended and it is likely to still exist.
3) Anniston Army Depot, Alabama. Not a true tank factory but it is the General Dynamic's final assembly site for the Stryker vehicle, and it is also a depot for the repair and overhaul of the M1, M60 and other armoured vehicles. Engine maker Honeywell also has a significant presence at Anniston.
4) BAE York, Pennsylvania. British defence contractor BAE took over United Defence Industries and builds, reconditions and repairs the Bradley, M109, M113 and AAV-P7 at York.
5) Slidell, Louisiana. Textron builds the M117, US Navy LCAC and Cadillac Gage turret systems at Slidell.
6) London, Ontario (Canada). General Dynamics took over the GM factory in Ontario and builds the LAV-25 and variants.
7) Ladson, South Carolina: General Dynamics assembles MRAPS and customises the Stryker vehicle at Ladson.
8) San Clara, California. FMC built the M2 Bradley at San Clara in the 1980's. The factory still exists and is now owned by BAE.

Stratford Army Engine Plant: Stratford, Connecticut. Original design and production site for the Lycoming AGT1500 engine that is fitted to M1 tank. Stratford closed in 1995 but due to the different T2K timeline it could still be open. Honeywell acquired Lycoming Turbine Engine Division in 1999 and has consolidated all engine production at Anniston.

MRAP's are built by General Dynamics (Buffalo, Cougar), BAE (Caiman, RG-33), Oshkosh (M-ATV) Navistar (MaxxPro). MRAP's are built at the armoured vehicle assembly plants or at heavy vehicle assembly plants. Other companies also build MRAP's and police armoured vehicles such as Textron, Lenco, Texas Armoring, MCT and INKAS in Canada, but excluding Textron they are custom builders and not manufacturers. MRAP engines are supplied by Caterpillar, Cummins, Detroit Diesel, Mack and Navistar.

The major suppliers of large trucks and engineer vehicles to U.S. forces are Caterpillar (CAT D9, CAT 277), BAE (M9 ACE, M88), John Deere (John Deere 850J, TRAM 624K), Oshkosh (FMTV series, HEMTT series, HET) and Terex (TX51-19M). The M939 series was built by AM General in the 1980's, but AM now only make lighter vehicles. Large trucks and engineer vehicles are built at commercial plant/agricultural and heavy vehicle assembly plants across the U.S. and Canada. Many of the assembly plants listed below don't make any vehicles for the military, but most of them would be capable of making them.

Farm & Plant Vehicle Assembly Plants
Augusta, Georgia (John Deere)
Davenport, Iowa (John Deere)
East Moline, Illinois (John Deere)
Fargo, North Dakota (Case IH)
Fort Wayne, Indiana (Terex)
Grand Island, Nebraska (Case IH)
Hesston, Kansas (AGCO-Massey Ferguson)
Hutchinson, Kansas (Kuhn-Krauss)
Jackson, Minnesota (AGCO-Massey Ferguson)
Peoria, Illinois (Caterpillar)
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (Terex)
Ottawa, Kansas (Kalmar Ottawa)
Racine, Wisconsin (Case IH)
Waterloo, Iowa (John Deere)
Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada (Versatile)

Heavy Vehicles Assembly Plants
Appleton, Wisconsin (Oshkosh)
Chillicothe, Ohio (Kenworth)
Cleveland, North Carolina (Freightliner)
Cleveland, North Carolina (MAN)
Denton, Texas (Peterbilt) )
Dodge Centre, Minnesota (Oshkosh)
High Point, North Carolina (Thomas Built Buses)
Ladson, South Carolina (Daimler-Benz)
Macungie, Pennsylvania (Mack)
Mount Holy, North Carolina (Freightliner)
Oshkosh, Wisconsin (Oshkosh)
Portland, Oregon (Western Star)
Renton, Washington (Kenworth)
Springfield, Ohio (Navistar)
St. Therese, Quebec Canada (Peterbilt)
West Point, Mississippi (Navistar)
Williamstown, West Virginia (Hino)

Engine Plants
Anniston, Alabama (Honeywell)
Columbus, Indiana (Cummins)
Hagerstown, Maryland (Mack)
Huntsville, Alabama (Navistar)
Melrose Park, Illinois (Navistar)
Mobile, Alabama (Continental)
Mossville, Illinois (Caterpillar)
Peoria, Illinois (Caterpillar)
Redford, Michigan (Detroit Diesel)
Rocky Mount, North Carolina (Cummins)
Seymour, Indiana (Cummins)
Waterloo, Iowa (John Deere)
Waukesha, Wisconsin (Navistar)

[Olefin]

Some additional info

BAE York would also be the production center for the M8 Buford light tank

5) Slidell, Louisiana.
Would also be the production center for the Stingray and (if built) the Stingray II light tank.

6) Cocoa Beach, FL tank production center for the Cadillac Gage Stingray tank until 1994

MRAPs were also built by JLG Industries (part of Oshkosh) as well at McConnellsburg, PA

Heavy Vehicle Assembly Plant - Need to add:

Dublin, VA (Volvo originally, now Volvo/Mack)

Fort Valley, GA (Bluebird Bus)

Winnsboro, SC (Mack Trucks 1987-2002)

Other facilities that can be used for military production

McConnellsburg, PA, Bedford PA (JLG) scissor lift, telehandlers, booms produced MRAPs and ATLAS material handlers for US military

Orrville, Ohio (Gradall till 1999, JLG after that) hydraulic excavators, rough-terrain material handlers tracked vehicles that could be used for military needs

[rcaf_777]

If I remember right the Air Force finally used the stockpile of 500lb bombs they had left over from WWII sometime during the Afghanistan War

I don't think that happened or that storing bombs for that long is possible or if they would see work

Give this a read

https://www.quora.com/Is-it-true-that-during-the-First-Gulf-War-the-United-States-emptied-stockpiles-of-bombs-and-munitions-dating-back-to-World-War-II

[dragoon500ly]

I don't think that happened or that storing bombs for that long is possible or if they would see work

Give this a read

https://www.quora.com/Is-it-true-tha...o-World-War-II

Not only the issue with fusings, but different explosives were used in WW2, stuff has a much lower flash point then modern bombs, something the order of as much as 100 degrees lower, RE the USS Forrestal fire in July 1967, this involved 1,000-pound bombs left over from the Korean War, these had been improperly stored and in some cases were leaking chemical residue.

Considering that this was ordnance that had laid around since 1953, one has to wonder the conditions ordnance left over from 1945 would have been in!

[Olefin]

Most likely it would be just the casings for the bombs that were made and never used - which given how much production there was for the war could have been considerable - remember they were stocking up for an extended campaign against Japan when they suddenly surrendered

[ChalkLine]

Another thought is that the Picatinny Rail was standardised in 1995.

It could be assumed that every weapon was modified for this attachment by the general engagement in the Twilight War

[Legbreaker]

Another thought is that the Picatinny Rail was standardised in 1995.

It could be assumed that every weapon was modified for this attachment by the general engagement in the Twilight War

Generally takes time for something to be introduced on a wider scale, even if standardised.
I'd be interested in knowing when IRL the number of rifles with the rails outnumbered those without. Perhaps Paul can shed some light