Abiriba Raleigh Group

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The Short Story:

The latest grand push for Hybrid Vehicles and Electric Vehicles is well underway. One of the main stumbling blocks of bringing this new technology to the battlefield has been the same obstacles as that of electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, petro-based motorized vehicles and muscle powered vehicles vehicles: range. Technology is now squeezing a reasonable 225 mile to 320 mile range from electric, hybrid, and petrol-base power resources depending upon cost, weight, and power options. A range of 250 miles begins to make tactical planners comfortable with the next generation of light combat vehicles.

Add to the coming generations of weapons platform the advent of fire-and-forget or over-the-horizons munitions now available to today's infantry tactical planners are beginning to see a shift in the role of the Speed Bump tactic. The infantryman's mission as a Speed Bump has begun to shift from isolate immobile defensive positions to mobile swarming tank-killer sections operating in mutually supportive offensive operations. This tactical mission begins to suggest coordinated battalion level offensive operations.

The Long Story:

In 1966-1967 while attending a junior college in Oklahoma I supported myself working after classes at the Ft Sill Post Exchange Branch in Snow Hall. I had an opportunity to visit the Snow Hall Library many times. It was there that I read about hydrogen fuel cell propelled electric vehicles. The source of this discovery was a declassified study produced in the med-50's projecting how the US Army was likely to engage in war in 1975. The study had a number of projections correct like fire-and-forget ordinance, laser guide ordinance, small caliber assault rifles, hydrogen fuel-cell propelled electric vehicles/rovers, large body troop/cargo transports, ultra-light aircraft for troop transport. There were also a number of blind alleys down which the study wandered. The study missed the advent of semiconductors and the space race. Asymmetric warfare had no place in the study's projections.

Subsequently, I was able to gain admission to West Point in 1968. In the early fall of 1971, the Mechanical Engineering Department (LTC Radler or CPT Mlakar) "threw down" a design challenge. The challenge was to field an electric vehicle for the 1972 Clean Air Car Race or more realistically, 1974. At that first meeting the team's Engineering Staff Advisor informed the few cadets who responded that USMA would provide various resources such as a Jeep, batteries or a hydrogen fuel cell, electric motors, and advisors from various engineering disciplines. There was a good deal of initial enthusiasm going head-to-head with Cal Tech, MIT, and Wayne University.

More realistically the team thought it would be most likely that a competitive vehicle might be ready for the test track in the 1973-74 trimeframe. My participation waned as I proceeded toward June 7, 1972 graduation. Upon completion of officer basic training, Airborne and Ranger training I began my tour of duty with the 82nd Airborne at Ft. Bragg, NC. While in that assignment I was fortunate to serve under Hog-Jackson: Major Jackson, XO 1/508 BN 82 ABN. Major Jackson derived his radio call sign, Hog, from his football days at Grambling State University. As one of Major Jackson's "speed bumps" I had the opportunity to train at killing Ivan's tanks using a deep, reinforced spider hole and a M72 LAW during the lock-down prompted by the Yom Kippur War (October 1973). The tactical concept at that time was to hide in the spider hole while Ivan's tanks rolled over and passed. Once Ivan's tanks passed, its weakly armored rear quarter panels are exposed. That presented a nearly ideal target. The tactical concept begins to fall apart when Ivan's tank is accompanied by Ivan's infantry. But that is what preregistered friendly artillery is suppose to engage. Regardless of how many times I and my troops practice this tactic we failed to have much confidence in it. We felt it was just another way to "get muddy" or worse. Our simulated Ivan tank operators (NC National Guard) put on a special "grinding" show when they topped my spider hole. It was a real thrill, ha-ha-not.

Following the closure of my service obligation I pursued a career in the electronic and software industries. I retired in August 2017. A quick review of my web site should reveal a broad spectrum of interest that I have been lucky enough to pursue. The re-entrance of "light" tactical weapons platforms and fire-and-forget/over-the-horizon infantry munitions gave birth to the tactical inspiration of the Hog Jackson.

Abiriba_RG "Hog Jackson Weapon Platform"

• Rapid movement on the battlefield.
• 250 plus mile combat range at "go t=0".
• EV weapons platform stealth operation.
• Incidental solar, incremental vehicle platform charging (20-40 mile charge per day possible depending on vendor platform qualified).
• Rechargeable where electrical power resources exists.
• Rechargeable between weapon platforms.
• Multiple anti-armor/aircraft/fortification munitions available offering fire-forget and over the horizon target engagement.
• Low per unit cost supporting destroy in-place rather than secondary recovery operations.
• Battalion radio net capable.
• Air-drop-able/Air-transportable.
• Sling-loadable.
• Favorable cost-benefit ratio.
• Multiple vendors of EV weapons platform and munitions.
• Vehicle operator, munitions, and gunner training suffices with basic driving skills and minimal range introduction firings.
• Tactical deployment can be in an array of options from isolate sections to company and battalion level swarms.
• General Dynamics Abram tanks cost $9 to $10 million per copy. A section of Abram tanks (2-3 tanks) cost approximately the same as a battalion of Hog Jackson vehicle platforms (400 vehicles) according to proposed tactical employment on the battlefield.

Oops. It Seems A Little Short

Status:

Detailed project cost, procurement plan, test/deployment plan, contacts, etc. are considered to be company proprietary information. Specifics will be made available upon request and agreements of confidentiality with Abiriba_RG.

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