(f) What is the current equivalent of the now-obsolete (one assumes now-obsolete) Sherman tank--light-weight, fast moving, smaller, but not so well armored as heavy tanks?
The last medium tank the Army had was the M551 Sheridan. They were capable of being dropped from an aircraft. They were primarily used in the 82nd Divisions 3/73 Armor and there was a Troop (Company) of them in the 11th ACR in Fulda.
They were scheduled to be replaced by the XM8 but Clinton killed the project in the mid-90's and as such killed the Armor Battalion at Bragg.
The Stryker has kinda take on the role of the medium tank/armored scout vehicle...but the only tank we use now is the M1A2 Abrams.
My Brigade Commander and the Battalion Commander for one of our Armor units when I was in Iraq cut their teeth on the Sheridan.
The young kids of the Airborne Infantry unit that was attatched to us were shocked at the sight of a tanker with a mustard stain on his jump wings.
