USMC Still Pretty Serious About the EFV

In other news, I love the way Marine Generals talk.

As the Pentagon prepares to take a hard look at amphibious warfare requirements, Marine Corps Commandant James Conway on Wednesday asserted the need for the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle to transport Marines from ship to shore. During a roundtable with reporters at the Pentagon, Conway said he believes strongly the military needs the forcible entry capability provided by the EFV, particularly as the Navy plans to operate at least 25 miles from the shoreline.

“That’s a 25-mile bridge that has to be managed somehow and you’re not going to do it with our current set of vehicles,” the four-star general said. “We think the best way to do that is with a vehicle that can do it in a couple of hours, not in a day. And that’s what it would virtually take with our existing fleet” of amphibious assault vehicles.

Marines traditionally smile make do with shit hand-me-downs from their Squid overlords, so if their top brass comes out and says they’re not dicking around on procuring this thing, I’m inclined to believe them.