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From: FQV@PSUVM.PSU.EDU (jim bowers)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: MTBF for M1 tank
Message-ID: <1990Nov6.043618.482@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 6 Nov 90 04:36:18 GMT
References: <1990Oct30.052800.7512@cbnews.att.com>
Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker)
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From: jim bowers <FQV@PSUVM.PSU.EDU>
In article <1990Nov2.203119.29539@cbnews.att.com>, bks@alfa.berkeley.edu (Brad
Sherman) says:
>
>From: bks@alfa.berkeley.edu (Brad Sherman)
>In article <1990Nov1.025149.12410@cbnews.att.com> mvp@hsv3.UUCP (Mike Van
>Pelt)
>writes:
>>From: mvp@hsv3.UUCP (Mike Van Pelt)
>>In article <1990Oct30.052800.7512@cbnews.att.com> bks@alfa.berkeley.edu (Brad
>Sherman) writes:
>>>"'the M-1 tends to break down every 30 miles or so...' says Kosta Tsipis
>>Kosta Tsipis has a long track record for ... um, "exaggerating".
>    Anyways, there are a multitude of factors that determine if a tank
>    is deadlined or not.

Exactly, and just because a vehicle is "deadlined" does not mean it is
out of commission - it is only out of commission on paper.
For instance, a vehicle can be deadlined for having a broken headlight
or rear view mirror - but you can still drive / fight in it.

The army definetly needs to come up with a different system or degree of
"deadlineness"  ie.
         level 1.  Not perfect but will still get you where you need
                   to go and preform it's job (sort of like a car
                   that won't pass inspection but still gets you
                   to work).

         level 2.  Can still perform most of it's job and in an emergency
                   situation it's better than nothing so you might as
                   well take it along with you (i.e. the brakes don't
                   work so well but you can still stop the thing by
                   running it into a tree).

         level 3.  Won't run at all or is more hazardous to the crew
                   than enemy fire (i.e. thick clouds of exhaust pouring
                   into cockpit).

     When I was in the 82nd (late 70's) there wasn't any real distinction
     between level 1 and 3 - if it was deadlined they wouldn't take it.