With the M10 Booker light tank mobile protected firepower vehicle gone, The Army may yet turn its attention to the M1 Abrams.
I disagree with the idea that after the cancellation of the M10 Booker that infantry still needs a light tank for protected, direct-fire support:
The demise of the M10 Booker spares the U.S. Army from a project that lost sight of its purpose. Instead of a light tank to provide mobile fire support for the infantry, the Army ended up with a vehicle that weighed as much as some main battle tanks.
Any armored vehicle ties infantry to roads and a bigger logistics tail. Light tanks are just Future Burned-Out Hulks. Perhaps cheapness should be high priority. If so, be prepared to lose lots of them.
If not, just give infantry brigades some heavy tanks when needed, as I argued years ago in Army
magazine.
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NOTE: Sure, that's a Marine tank. But the Marines got rid of their tanks.
