TF will become dismounts only as the skill fade for RF crew is a major factor in the challenge we have for crewmen coming back from OPs, plus no LAV will be based outside Linton in the very near future, cost to build infrastruture in Hamiliton for a troop of LAV is to high:
1. Secure storage for vehicles, radios, weapons, plus a small LAD to fix any problems both mechanical, systems malfunctions etc QAMR LAV shelter might look like large tin garages but are fully alarmed & protected due to the black boxes inside the turret.
Spoke to a couple of Army pers during that Napier incident, LOV(A) would of been a better vehicle to get up that hill and around the tight corners where the LAV had to do a 3 point turn to get up & the same back down sometimes bigger is not always better.
No requirement for an upgrade yet most pinz are in the Log battalions once we have a better handle on the CSST fleet then that will dictate the possible pinz redistribution eg CSST new fleet will come standard with turret ring full comms outfit, & armour for those vehicles that will deploy off shore.
Same issues we have in NZ are occuring in Timor lack of spares for the vehicle & the air conditioning unit due to all major manufactuers building MRAP vehicles etc.
To be honest if we had got a mixed buy of LAV & bushmaster there would be no need for the LOV(A) same old story we got lumbered by treasury with a lemon to save money.
CD