Retirement of the Tracked M270 MLRS

[70deuce]

The Military Vehicle Collectors of Colorado were honored with an invite to a retirement ceremony for the tracked version of the MLRS down at Ft Carson in Colorado Springs, CO. Apparently the tracked version is going away being replace by the FMTV wheeled version. There was a huge static display of vehicles and encampments. Had a pair of CO Air National Guard F-16's do a low pass but because of the bad weather they didn't do their planned live bomb drops or gun runs. Two Blackhawks did do an airborne assault on a terrorist "hideout" constructed in front of the crowd. They used live rounds in the attack. The finale was two M270's letting rip 15 live rockets!! Way cool to be near those things firing. They were only a few hundred yards away when they lit off their rounds. A bunch of pics will follow. I have some real good video to get on here later. Try to view one clip I'll try to post here.

 

[ARYankee]

Cool thanks for sharing. Can't wait to see more.

 

[70deuce]

These were taken off my camcorder so not as sharp but great sequence

 

[army_nurse]

sorry to see the M270 go. i sent my first enlistment on them. the lighter wheeled version is quicker and with the new systems they are going to do well. none the less the power of firing a 12 pack and then being gone befor the warhead event happens is fun. one more thing, if you think seeing the MLRS fired is fun you should try being in the gunners seat ( the middle seat) lots of fun. you feel the entire track shake as each round is excited and leaves the LLM. some times you can even feel the LLM move if you are firing a shift. they will reuse most of the parts from the track it is alot like the bradley. oh well bye bye M270


Mark

 

[70deuce]

A few more

 

[70deuce]

A video

 

[13 MIKE]

I enjoyed my time with that system. I didn't know they were going away from the tracked launcher.

 

[BKubu]

Thanks for sharing.

That is crazy IMHO that they are doing away with the tracked variant. Wheels...can never replace tracks. They can only augment them. It does not take a rocket scientist to understand that a wheeled vehicle CANNOT go where a tracked vehicle can.

 

[rwbrown72]

I suspect easier service and less cost for the retirement. Tracks cost lots more than tires.
I have been know to be wrong. Cool Pics.

 

[BKubu]

RWBROWN72, I am sure you are right. However, imagine being on a battlefield somewhere. Now imagine it just rained...or previous incoming rounds turned the field into the moon. Now, try to drive over it with an FMTV (which is no more capable off-road than an M939 series truck...and if it is slightly better, it can't be more than minimal). This was a political decision. B.S.! Next, they will be saying that we need to turn in the M1A2s for wheeled armor!

 

[rwbrown72]

I sure didn't say it was smart! I guess the people in charge forgot to ask the people who use them. They forgot again!

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

Thanks for posting this up!

 

[mcmullag]

just shopping

Golly, wonder how soon those MLRS' will be listed on GL?

 

[rwbrown72]

Golly, wonder how soon those MLRS' will be listed on GL?

How long would that EUC take to clear?

 

[mistaken1]

Thanks for sharing, very cool.

 

[FMJ]

Golly, wonder how soon those MLRS' will be listed on GL?

I would hope that they are put into storage, just in case. . .

Right after the cold war ended the USAF was going forward with plans to retire the A-10 Warthog because it wasn't needed anymore. . .

 

[70deuce]

Here are scans of the program, pics of the new 3/4 ton trailer (Really nice setup there) and the LED headlights which were on the BV206 and MRAP.. The discussions I heard there on why the tracked version was going away were all maintenance cost considerations. The chassis would provide huge number of spare parts for the Bradley.

 

[rango]

i enlisted as a 13m, but sadly got discharged before i made it to AIT to train on them