With a ceremony at Aberdeen Proving Ground, the US Army officially christened and incorporated one of its most modern combat vehicles, the M10 Booker, on April 18th. The new armored vehicle is part of a program to enhance the capabilities of infantry brigades with a platform that will provide firepower, mobility, and freedom of action against enemy forces.
According to details provided by the US Army, they have received three M10 Booker vehicles to date, a quantity that will increase in the short term. Over the next few months, the new combat vehicle will undergo operational testing with the 82nd Airborne Division, an evaluation process that will culminate with the deployment of the first operational M10 Booker company to the aforementioned unit in the summer of 2025.
Doug Bush, Undersecretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology, stated, “…The Army is undergoing its most significant transformation in decades to master large-scale combat operations in a multi-domain environment, and the M10 Booker is a crucial part of that transformation…”
Regarding the tests that the M10 Booker will face, Major General Glenn Dean, Executive Director of Ground Combat Systems Programs, said, “…We will also subject the vehicle to production qualification testing in desert, arctic, temperate, and tropical conditions, challenging it with obstacles such as gaps and scaled walls, and exposing it to real threats to ensure its survivability…”
The M10 Booker combat vehicle was designed as a highly survivable platform, capable of identifying threats in advance and at long distances thanks to its optronic systems. It will also provide US Army infantry units with improved mobility and protection, qualities that will allow it to serve as ideal support for assault forces.
In terms of firepower, the M10 Booker is armed with a 105mm M35 cannon, a 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, and a 12.7mm heavy machine gun M2. One of the highlights is that it shares sighting and detection systems with the M1 Abrams tank, a detail that will facilitate training and logistical processes. Capable of traveling at a maximum speed of 64 kilometers per hour, the Booker can be transported on a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft. The aircraft will be able to accommodate two vehicles.
The US Army announced that the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Liberty will be the first unit to operate and initially test the M10 Booker, starting later this year. “…Over the next few years, battalions of ‘Protected Mobile Firepower’ will be deployed at Fort Johnson, Louisiana, Fort Campbell, Ky., Fort Liberty, North Carolina, and Fort Carson, Colorado, and in the National Guard, ensuring that our light infantry formations will have the capability they need to fight…”
Cover Image: US Army – Christopher Kaufmann
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