veteran’s corner

Tom Krabbenhoft

With the lack of snow and cold, it’s hard to believe Christmas is around the corner. Like many of you, I have not started shopping. I tend to overspend on gifts. We’ve all done that, including our government. It has overspent on many military projects over the years. This seems like a good time to look at a couple.

The M247 Sergeant York DIVAD (Division Air Defense) was a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun. The vehicle was named after Sergeant Alvin York, the famous World War 1 hero and Medal of Honor recipient. The weapon was designed to operate alongside M1 battle tanks and M2 Bradley fighting vehicles. The Sgt. York was to engage low-level aircraft and helicopters with its effective twin 40mm cannons. The concept was based off the USSR’s very successful ZSU 23-4, which is still in service today 50 years later.

Two companies came forth with competing proposals, Ford and General Dynamics. They were both given 79 million dollars to develop prototypes. Ultimately Ford was given the contract.

The Sgt. York should have been seamless and cost effective in its development. Existing technologies were utilized in its design – the chassis from a M48 Patton tank with twin 40mm guns and the radar system from the F16 fighter.

When testing began, the problems started. Dignitaries and military brass gathered for one of the first showings of the Sgt. York. To the horror of all present, the Sgt. York targeted the full bleachers. No kidding! Ford claimed it was because it had just been washed. At a later demonstration, the Sgt. York targeted a bathroom exhaust fan. The system was also good at targeting clouds of dust and trees … it seemed like it could find anything but aircraft.

The development boondoggle continued from 1977 to 1985. Thankfully, the project was finally killed. It was too slow to keep up with the armored vehicles it was supposed to protect. The F-16 fighter radar worked well in the open sky, but not close to the ground studded with clutter. Advancements in enemy weaponry and in our own anti-aircraft technology also made the Sgt. York obsolete before it was even developed.

The total cost of this project totaled one-eleventh of what the U.S. invested in the Apollo space program. That’s correct: One-eleventh. 

Another project that came in over budget was plagued in development but was eventually adopted. That’s the Bradley fighting vehicle. After 40 years, the Bradley is still in use today. Interestingly, it has more armored vehicle kills then the M1 Abrams tank. The Bradley ended up being a success story. 

The Army is now seeking a replacement for the Bradley. Billions have already gone into development to find a well-rounded replacement using composites, fibers and other ground-breaking technology. Time will tell what is next for our military. I wonder if history will repeat itself.

Tom Krabbenhoft belongs to many veterans and service organizations; he is a Realtor referral agent with Coldwell Banker Element Realty.