Ka Nogs,
In your opinion, what would be the armored vehicle type / kind that would be ideal for COIN / LIC operations in this country's terrain? Since MBT's are obviously not feasible, and the V150s are at the opposite side of the feasibility spectrum, what would be ideal?
No simple answer, doc.... From an infantryman's myopic point of view (which may be considered as sacrilege by my cavalry colleagues)... And working on the assumption that we don't mess up so much that the NPA stays were they are now and are not able to advance their struggle into the Strategic Stalemate Stage and that the threat with SPSG and Abu Sayaff remains as it is today...
Against the NPA... any armored vehicle is practically insignificant in combat terms. These vehicles will not be there when you need them. The NPA does not fight unless he has the upper hand, and when he do, he will have something up his sleeve to neutralize any armored vehicle that he expects you to use. Generally, you can not attack them using armored vehicles because they are not in places where any armored vehicle can reach them (I used the qualifying term "generally" here because there were instances where AVs were used in offensive opns against them, but this is rare and happened in flat terrains against enemies who were foolish enough to think they can get away with it). So if we have money for MBTs, I would rather that we use this money to improve training (from individual skills and discipline to small unit tactics), upgrade our ISR capability (HUMINT, SIGINT and IMINT collection and processing systems), PsyOps, artillery, helicopter gunships, lift choppers (capable of carrying at least 1 squad of infantrymen), and improve logistics for increased and sustained operational tempo (and can I add Good Governance?). However... in COIN, perception is reality, and armored vehicles do have PsyOps value (both directed at the enemy and for our own troops and people)...
Against the SPSG and ASG... These groups have the penchant to attack in relatively large number centers of civilian populations and establish "territories" in relatively "tankable" areas... MBTs here would be great... but without the necessary combat engineer support and logistics train (you can't just drop by at a small town Petron station to fill-up your M1A1), I would prefer more the track IFVs carrying guns larger than cal.50s and that pic of FNSS ACV with the BMP-3 turret sure looks very interesting, and some mix of wheeled AVs for lighter duties. It should not be an either/or choice. It should be the right mix of FSV and infantry carriers. What is more important than the size of the gun, however, is its fire control system (should be able to see and shoot at any time)...
So... If we can buy MBTs (be it M48s or the most expensive sexy models), just make sure that we also buy the necessary systems to ensure that these MBTs can go where and when they are needed. With that, and with our reality, I wish that we have a mix of IFVs (capable of carrying infantry dismounts) and FSVs (that may serve as tank destroyers in case some invasion fleet do show up in our shores, or at least make our people who are watching the Independence Day Parade think that we can do something about it if it happens), both preferably tracked. And with wheeled vehicles for lighter duties such as convoy protection and protection of vital facilities located in easily accessible terrain.
