M10 Booker 'Light Tank' Could Be Russia's Worst Nightmare

Summary and Key Points: The M10 Booker Combat Vehicle, developed by General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS), is crucial for the U.S. Army's transformation to dominate large-scale combat operations.

-Equipped with a 105 mm cannon and advanced sensors, it enhances Infantry Brigade Combat Teams (IBCTs).

-The vehicle entered low-rate initial production (LRIP) in July, and GDLS recently received a $322.7 million contract for continued production.

-The M10 Booker is unique for being named after two American heroes and is the first major combat vehicle developed for the U.S. Army since the 1980s.

-The vehicle is crucial for the Army's transformation to dominate large-scale combat operations.

Why the M10 Booker Combat Vehicle is Vital for U.S. Army's Future

In April, the United States Army took the delivery of its first M10 Booker Combat Vehicle in a ceremony at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland. Developed by General Dynamics Land Systems, the M10 Booker is equipped with a 105 mm cannon and advanced sensors for night and urban combat. The U.S. Army will employ the modular vehicle to enhance Infantry Brigade Combat Teams (IBCTs).

The platform entered low-rate initial production (LRIP) in July.

Testing of the vehicle has continued at Fort Liberty, North Carolina, while the 82nd Airborne Division has been slated to put the M10 through additional gunnery training and testing at Fort Stewart, Georgia.

LRIP to Continue

This week, GDLS announced that it had been awarded a $322.7 million contract from the U.S. Army for continued LRIP of the vehicle.

"As part of low-rate initial production, multiple Booker vehicles have been delivered to the Army to support government testing and logistics efforts," GDLS stated on Tuesday. "The Booker employs a four-person crew and features an enhanced thermal viewer, a large-caliber cannon, a lightweight hull and turret, and a modern diesel engine, transmission and suspension system. It has been designed from the start for capability upgrades, based on future operational needs."

According to the defense contractor, work will be provided at the company's facilities in Sterling Heights, Michigan, Anniston, Alabama, Lima, Ohio, Tallahassee, Florida, and Scranton, Pennsylvania. The estimated completion date of the LRIP is scheduled for Oct. 20, 2026.

"The M10 Booker is named after two American heroes who gave their lives in service to their country, and we are honored to design, build and deliver these vehicles to the Army," said Gordon Stein, General Dynamics Land Systems vice president and general manager for U.S. operations in a May 15, 2024 statement. "These latest Bookers incorporate improvements and lessons we learned from the Middle Tier Acquisition phase of the program, and we’re confident that Soldiers will find them highly useful in completing their missions."

Not a Tank

Though it could be mistaken for a main battle tank (MBT) with its tracked chassis and turret, the Booker was born out of the Mobile Protected Firepower Vehicle (MPFV), it was officially designated the M10 last year.

It is unique among American military platforms as it actually is named to honor two different soldiers named Booker.

The first was Medal of Honor recipient Private Robert Booker of the 133rd Infantry Regiment, 34th Infantry Division, who was killed on April 9, 1943, near Fondouk, Tunisia, during the Second World War; while the latter was tank commander and Distinguished Service Cross recipient Staff Sergeant Stevon Booker, Company A, 1st Battalion, 64th Armored Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, who was killed in April 5, 2003, during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

"The Army is undertaking its most significant transformation in several decades to dominate in large-scale combat operations in a multidomain environment, and the M10 Booker is a crucial part of that transformation," said Doug Bush, the assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology, in April.

The GDLS prototype beat out a design from BAE Systems in 2022.

It is the first major combat vehicle developed for the U.S. Army since the late stages of the Cold War in the 1980s. The finalized M10 Booker is operated by a crew of four, including a commander, a driver, a gunner, and a loader. Its armament consists of a 105 mm M35 primary weapon, a 7.62 mm coaxial weapon, and a .50-caliber M2 commander's weapon. It has a maximum speed of 40 miles per hour, and a C-17 can transport two of the vehicles.

"The M10 Booker provides IBCTs with a safe and effective platform to complete their mission – one that may include bunkers, machine guns or armored vehicle," said Gordon Stein, General Dynamics Land Systems vice president and general manager for U.S. operations. "We are honored to continue to manufacture the M10 Booker Combat Vehicle."

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.

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