Re: Another APC question...

At 1:23 PM -0600 7/16/02, B Lin wrote:
>Just wondering - in modern APC's does the squad commander sit 
>towards the front, near the vehicle commander or does he usually sit 
>nearest the exit (i.e. first out)

Depends on doctrine. Some put the Squad commander in the turret. Some 
put him behind the driver with the vehicle having it's own commander, 
others put him in the back of the vehicle.

>In helicopters and such there is an intercom system that the squad 
>leader is plugged into to get info from the pilots, is there an 
>equivalent system in an APC?

Generally. The 60's era british APCs had facilities for a squad 
commander's headset and radio control box in the back of the APC. He 
could talk on the IC function or one of the 3 radios depending on a 
control position. I don't think that all passengers in the APC have 
intercom capability, though it would be a good idea.

Futurewise, one would have wireless headsets like in hammer's 
slammers that every person in the vehicle could talk on for better 
situational control and awareness. The Commanders and perhaps the 
gunners would have the special control boxes that allow for their 
transmitting on the vehicle's radio system vs the short range squad 
tactical net the crunchies would have.

>Do most APC's have windows/viewports/external cameras that the squad 
>leader/squad can use?

It's been pretty heavily touted in the MV magazines that follow the 
industry that some means of looking out is majorly important for the 
crew so they have an idea of where the heck they are when they debuss.

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