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M10 Booker: The Army’s ‘Light Tank’ Could Be a Chaos Bomb

M10 Booker
A live fire demonstration of the Army’s newest and most modernized combat vehicle, the M10 Booker, marks the conclusion of the M10 Booker Dedication Ceremony at Aberdeen Proving Ground, in Aberdeen, Md., April 18, 2024. (U.S. Army photo by Christopher Kaufmann)

Key Points and Summary: The M10 Booker is the U.S. Army’s newest armored vehicle, designed for infantry support with enhanced mobility and firepower.

-At 42 tons, it’s lighter than an Abrams but heavier than expected for a “light tank.”

Boomer M10. Image Credit: U.S. Army.

Boomer M10. Image Credit: U.S. Army.

-While its composite armor and advanced suspension offer advantages, critics argue it lacks the protection needed for high-intensity combat. Built on an IFV chassis yet without troop capacity, its classification remains controversial.

-With testing underway, the question remains: Is the M10 a necessary battlefield asset or an impractical design? The Army’s next moves will determine whether the Booker is a breakthrough or a burden.

M10 Booker: A Game-Changer or a Misstep for the U.S. Army?

The M10 Booker, a recent addition to the U.S. Army’s arsenal, has garnered significant attention and controversy for its unique blend of capabilities. 

As an armored infantry support vehicle, it aims to fill a critical gap in the Army’s arsenal. 

However, critics argue that the capabilities the M10 offers are insufficient for the modern battlefield and that it is a return to an outdated concept.

M10 Booker: The Pros To This Tank 

Let’s start with the positives. One of the M10 Booker’s standout features is its lighter weight and versatility

Designed to operate in various terrains, including urban settings, deserts, and forests, it offers the U.S. Army a flexible tool for diverse combat scenarios. 

Its relatively lightweight design, at approximately 42 tons, allows for easier transport by air or land, enhancing rapid deployment capabilities.

This mobility is crucial for modern warfare, where speed and adaptability can make a significant difference.

The M10 Booker incorporates advanced systems that enhance its combat effectiveness. Its modular composite armor offers significant protection while allowing for upgrades and modifications as needed. The vehicle’s hydropneumatic suspension system provides excellent cross-country mobility, ensuring that it can navigate challenging terrains with ease.

Furthermore, its diesel engine, producing 800 horsepower, ensures a good power-to-weight ratio, contributing to its overall performance.

The M10 Booker is designed to support Infantry Brigade Combat Teams (IBCTs) by suppressing and destroying fortifications, gun systems, and trench routes. This role is crucial in modern combat, where infantry units often face well-entrenched adversaries. 

By providing direct fire support, the M10 Booker enhances the effectiveness of infantry operations, allowing for more successful assaults on fortified positions.

M10 Booker Tank: The Cons 

The M10 garnered a lot of controversy as observers struggled to classify the exact role of the vehicle. 

Is it a light tank, or an IFV? According to the Army, yes and no. While the M10 possesses the firepower and armor of a light tank, the Army intends to use it in the same role as an IFV. As said earlier, it was designed to be smaller and lighter than the M1 Abrams, as seen below. 

An M1A2 Abrams SEP V2 main battle tank, assigned to Cold Steel Troop, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, fires a M865 target practice cone stabilized discarding sabot with tracer on December 9, 2021, at the National Training Center and Fort Irwin training area. Image: Creative Commons.

An M1A2 Abrams SEP V2 main battle tank, assigned to Cold Steel Troop, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, fires a M865 target practice cone stabilized discarding sabot with tracer on December 9, 2021, at the National Training Center and Fort Irwin training area.

All that is well and good except, at 42 tons, the M10 Booker weighs two tons more than the Japanese Type 10 MBT despite possessing a lighter cannon and significantly less protection. How did this happen?

Interestingly enough, the chassis for the M10 dates back to the ASCOD (or Griffin as General Dynamics called it), an IFV designed to carry troops. Except the M10 Booker doesn’t carry troops; it does not need the extra space. That may explain why it weighs as much as an MBT despite possessing half the armor. For a vehicle marketed for its lightweight, this is a gross oversight.

Speaking of lighter armor, while the M10 Booker is equipped with modular composite armor, it is still considered relatively light compared to main battle tanks like the M1 Abrams. 

This lighter armor makes it more vulnerable to anti-tank weapons and heavy artillery, not to mention drone swarms. 

M10 Booker

The M10 Booker Combat Vehicle proudly displays its namesake on the gun tube during the Army Birthday Festival at the National Museum of the U.S. Army, June 10, 2023. The M10 Booker Combat Vehicle is named after two American service members: Pvt. Robert D. Booker, who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for actions in World War II, and Staff Sgt. Stevon A. Booker, who posthumously received the Distinguished Service Cross for actions during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Their stories and actions articulate the Army’s need for the M10 Booker Combat Vehicle, an infantry assault vehicle that will provide protection and lethality to destroy threats like the ones that took the lives of these two Soldiers. (U.S. Army photo by Bernardo Fuller)

In high-intensity conflict zones, where enemy forces may possess advanced anti-armor capabilities, the M10 Booker could be at a disadvantage.

What’s Next for the M10 Booker?

Despite its criticisms, the Army seems eager to adopt the M10, with three vehicles being delivered for testing.

 To be fair, as said earlier, the M10 does offer a list of benefits that could plug some much-needed gaps in the U.S.’s armored inventory. 

That said, it also carries a lot of baggage with it that puts it at a significant disadvantage. Critics of the M10 argue that despite the Army’s insistence, the M10 Booker is indeed a tank

Not only is it a tank, but it is simply not the kind of tank that the U.S. needs. 

M10 Booker Light Tank

M10 Booker Light Tank. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

All we can do is wait and see how the Army makes use of it.

About the Author: Isaac Seitz 

Isaac Seitz, a 19FortyFive Defense Columnist, graduated from Patrick Henry College’s Strategic Intelligence and National Security program. He has also studied Russian at Middlebury Language Schools and has worked as an intelligence Analyst in the private sector.

Written By

Isaac Seitz graduated from Patrick Henry College’s Strategic Intelligence and National Security program. He has also studied Russian at Middlebury Language Schools and has worked as an intelligence Analyst in the private sector.

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