Re: [MV] Mule vs Gator

From: Fred Martin (mung@in-touch.net)
Date: Fri Jun 20 2003 - 04:47:44 PDT


Hi Bjorn from Fred,
   If we were to make the Mutt again, what changes would you suggest
making to it? Would you want a modern overhead gas engine or maybe a
small deisel? Can we virtually remake it to fit one of the holes they
punched in the system? Wide tired, lift kit...tassles around the top
like a Filipino jeepney, tomahawk cruise missle? Lets remake it to our
specifications. Anyone else...add your engineering skills. Rules are:
"to fill specific needs". By the way, I think your previous post should
be sent to everyone involved who has a hand in punching holes in the
system. Their rules should be: If they punch a hole in the system that
we don't like...we get to punch another hole in their butts! Shall we
reengineer the M-35's next? Fred Martin

Bjorn Brandstedt wrote:
>
> Originally the vehicle types were developed to fill specific needs. If
> the vehicles are "dropped", they leave holes in the system and if these
> "holes" can only be filled with commercial substitutes, that sounds like
> piss-poor planning to me.
> Commercially the Mutts (CJ jeeps) are selling in great quantities as we
> speak. Obviously dropping the Mutts and Mules left big holes in the
> system, which the Humvee often is too large to service.
>
> The Sherman continued to develop into the Abrahms so why not the Mules
> and the Mutts, I guess that was my query.
>
> Bjorn
>
>
>
>
>
>> From: "paul carrier" <paulc@teleport.com>
>> To: "Military Vehicles Mailing List" <mil-veh@mil-veh.org>
>> Subject: Re: [MV] Mule vs Gator
>> Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2003 21:46:35 -0700
>>
>>
>>
>> > -----Original Message-----
>> > From: Military Vehicles Mailing List [mailto:mil-veh@mil-veh.org]On
>> > Behalf Of Bjorn Brandstedt
>> > Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2003 12:03 PM
>> > To: Military Vehicles Mailing List
>> > Subject: [MV] Mule vs Gator
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Just finished reading a 2-page article about John Deere's M-gator
>> > and how it
>> > is supposed to replace the M-274 Mule (MVM Dec '02).
>>
>> Mule's were gone before I entered the army, and that was 1977.
>>
>>
>> > For some reason the M-Gator, which in reality is a 6-wheel
>> > ATV/golfcart with
>> > keyless ignition, pintle hook and a blackout drive light, is
>> > being compared
>> > to the Humvee and not to the Mule, which it is supposed to
>> > replace: "And I
>> > can buy 8 Gators for the price of one Humvee" or "soldiers can load
>> up to
>> > four Gators in a Chinook as opposed to one Humvee..."
>> >
>>
>> Biggest benifit ? It can go places the HMVEE can't. The 101st used
>> them in
>> Afganistan and seemed to love them.
>> In fact, I'm not sure you can GET a M998 inside a Chinook, IIRC it has to
>> sling load underneath.
>>
>>
>> > Ground clearance is less than 7 inches (My Isuzu Trooper has more than
>> > that).
>> > It's a 6x4 and I'm not sure if it even has front wheel drive. Why six
>> > wheels?
>> >
>> > Tell me, what happend to the Mutt? It can do far more than the
>> > "Gator" and
>> > the Mule is a great little vehicle almost perfected for the job with
>> many
>> > more features.
>> >
>>
>> MUTT has been gone for years too.
>>
>> > Does the Army have to go commercial? Do we have to forget all
>> > great designs
>> > of the past? We should build on the established standards not toss them
>> > aside for something with more bells and whistles because it looks
>> "good".
>> >
>>
>> Why go commercial ? Because it was needed RIGHT NOW, not in 6 to 9
>> years as
>> the boffins do some more R&D and load it up with more gadgets.
>>
>> The old vehicles did the job, some were great, some were dog's. For
>> the most
>> part the current crop can out perform the old designs.
>>
>> Do I like Sherman tanks ?
>> Yes.
>> Would I want to take one to Iraq to battle T72's ?
>> Hell No.
>>
>>
>> > Does the Army have to shop at Wal-Mart?????
>>
>> Actually we don't, but much purchase authority is now at the Company
>> level
>> for day to day things. I can get stuff quicker commercially than
>> through the
>> system. I can buy tools and parts and some property book items as a local
>> purchase. In fact some things are only available that way. Check
>> FEDLOG for
>> the SOS on many engine parts.
>>
>> If the Army ( or other services ) had to rely on government developed
>> computers we would still be running 8088's and ADA.
>>
>>
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>
>
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