Old Weapons Would Have A Big Role

[Rob-TheStormChaser]

Many of the soldiers who fought here in the 1991 Persian Gulf War always figured that they would have to return someday. But few of those who arrived here recently with the Army's Third Infantry Division expected they'd have to use so much of the equipment they left behind.

"It's unbelievable," said Maj. Kent Rideout, 39, executive officer for Task Force 4-64 Armor. "Some of the trucks I drew out of prepositioned stocks when we arrived are the same stuff I turned in back in '91."
Because Iraq remained a threat, the United States left enough tanks, armored vehicles, self-propelled artillery, cargo trucks, and other hardware in Kuwait, Qatar, and the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia to outfit about two mechanized Army divisions, plus substantial ship-based supplies for the Marine Corps.

Since then, while new M1A2 Abrams tank and upgraded Bradley Fighting Vehicle - both with fully digitized targeting systems - and other new weapons were deployed back home, the equipment in overseas warehouses and ships grew old.

Now, as the buildup for a second war continues, veteran soldiers recycling weaponry and equipment they used 12 years ago are finding weapons that once were state of the art have become relics.

Some units, such as the Fourth Infantry Division, which has served as a test division for many of the Army's technological improvements, are en route to the region with the latest weapons and hardware. But others - including the Third Infantry - will have to make do with the prepositioned stocks.

"There have been a lot of changes in tank technology, but we don't have it here," said Capt. Scott Thomson, 33, a task force maintenance officer.

Some new equipment is on the way.

The Third Division's First Brigade has brought some new tanks and equipment from Fort Stewart, Ga. And some replacement vehicles, including Humvees with armor that can withstand hits by 7.62mm machine-gun fire, are also on the way.

But the pace of the buildup and demands on shipping mean some of the best equipment was left behind. That includes many new LMTV (Light-Medium Tactical Vehicle) and HEMTTs (Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck) cargo trucks, transports and wreckers designed to replace vehicles that were already antiques 12 years ago.

During Desert Storm, many 2.5-ton "deuce and a half" trucks, which date back to World War II, got stuck in the sand or broke down. But those vehicles, along with numerous 5-ton models, will likely see plenty of use in any new hostilities. So will the Vietnam-era M-88 recovery vehicle, originally designed to haul the M-60 tank, not the M1 Abrams.

"They're designed to pull a 60-ton vehicle, and we've got them pulling 70-ton vehicles," said Thomson.

Eleven vehicles in his unit alone had to be left behind on the battlefield during the first two hours of the ground war in 1991, Rideout said. To avoid a repeat of that, his troops recently put 800 miles on their vehicles during one three-week span - more than they would drive in a year back home - trying to work out the kinks while they still have time.

But just in case, task force mechanics have ensured that every vehicle has a winch, tow cable and other gear.

The troops are working to avoid other logistical problems. The First Armored Division ran out of gas on its first day of battle in 1991 because its fuel trucks could not keep up with the Abrams tanks, which can maintain battlefield speeds of 30 m.p.h.

With supply lines expected to stretch hundreds of miles - Baghdad is more than 400 miles north of the Kuwait border - senior officers anticipate working "battle pauses" into potential war plans for refueling and other support.

Even with the obstacles they face, veteran soldiers say they feel better prepared than they were 12 years ago.

"They were overmatched 12 years ago," Rideout said. "For us, it's a lot of the same issues as we had then. Logistics will be a major problem. But from a tactical standpoint, we are going to kick some major butt."