My thinking is that the AVSE is still basically a gun tank so would be a good fit down to troop level while the other, more specialised equipment, could be operated at Sqn or Regt level in specialist troops or Sqns.
While mechanically an AVSE is the same as a tank dozer operationally they are very different. For one the AVSE will have much of its ammunition magazine loaded with HE-OR-T rounds. It can’t operate as a gun tank because it just won’t have the normal ammunition to sustain engagements. The HE-OR-T isn’t even a good anti field bunker round, it is specially designed to destroy very heavy steel reinforced concrete or rock blocks or walls. To place it as part of a tank troop will be a liability to the rest of the troop.
In order for the AVSE to do its job – demolish buildings and obstacles – it will need to manoeuvre to where the obstacles are. Not as part of a tank troop locate itself in overwatch or providing close support to assaulting infantry.
Also the need for AVSEs is strictly limited. By placing one in every tank troop that’s 12 AVSEs per brigade. In the cbt engr sqns there is only six AVSEs per notional full strength brigade. And even this 50% number is inflated in order to provide capability assurance by providing two per squadron. That is you always provide at least two of something because if you only had one and it broke down you would have nil capability.
12 AVSEs per brigade is overkill. Maybe you would need that number to assault the Maginot Line but there just isn’t that amount of rebar concrete out there in any feasible battlefield we will find.
I am not suggesting that random crews be assigned to the role, rather that selected personnel attend the appropriate training courses and are assigned to the AVSE.
Which is best sourced by the RAE corps where soldiers and officers are trained in military engineering through all their career.
My thinking is that tanks are extremely unlikely to be deployed without engineering support so why not embed the capability permanently so the troops can train as they fight.
Well by that argument would mean each regiment and battalion would be a full battlegroup will all the mix of units and corps integral to the unit. Army experience has shown after the A21 experiment that tried to achieve this that is actually far more difficult to train and sustain such a unit. It is more effective to have all the specialist elements within their specialist units and then mix and match them into combat teams and battlegroups for manoeuvre exercises and operational deployment. Especially since the AVSE would never really be integrated into a tank troop or even tank squadron formation in the battlefield integrating them into such a unit just makes no sense.
Also there is strong tactical experience that cbt engr sqns need more firepower to defend themselves while doing their job. The 3ID AAR from OIF called for integrating Bradleys into their combat engineers so they could use the 25mm and TOW to enhance their combat power. The HE-OR-T capability wasn’t available at this time but certainly two tanks with their sights, MGs and 20 or so 120mm MPAT rounds would go a long way towards enhancing the survivability of the rest of the cbt engr sqn on the battlefield without the need to detach tank troops of mech inf pltns to provide protection.
