The Biden Administration, which continuously underfunds the military, now wants to impose a demand to convert the military’s vehicles, tanks, trucks, and others, to electric and electric hybrid versions.
According to Military.com,
“Fleets of electric vehicles ready to …slash greenhouse gas emissions over the coming decade — that’s what the Pentagon is hoping it can pull off as part of President Joe Biden’s efforts to combat climate change, Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks said Monday. Tactical vehicles will first go hybrid, using a mix of fossil fuels and electricity, before making a full transition, while about 170,000 non-tactical cars and trucks used on military bases could go right to electric, Hicks said while touting the climate initiatives at Wayne State University in Michigan…The Army has more than 242,000 tactical wheeled vehicles such as the Humvee, according to the Government Accountability Office.”
Beyond the enormous cost this would result in, the practical considerations and tactical risks are overwhelming. Consider just a few problems this causes. Electric vehicles take long periods of time to recharge. Will the enemy patiently wait while this occurs? Speaking of recharging, where will one find the electrical outlets to plug the tanks into? (Here’s an idea: gas-powered generators to provide electrical generating stations. Then what’s the point of going electric in the first place?)
It has already been reported that electric vehicles are prone to devastating battery fires. What will happen when you mix that problem with volatile ammunition?
The raw materials to build EVs come from America’s enemies. In times of conflict, will the very nations we are fighting agree to sell America the materials that will be used to build the weapons that will be used against them?
In times of conflict, vehicles are used extensively, and they wear out quickly. The logistical nightmare of replacing the batteries needed to keep EV’s operable would strain an already overstressed system.
The plan is being sold as good for the environment. The mining of the necessary minerals, and the impossibility of recycling the batteries, would be an environmental disaster.
This absurd proposal dovetails with yet another move by the current White House, to impose “woke” values on the military, which has been widely credited with discouraging enlistments.
As China’s navy continues to grow, the U.S. Navy shrinks. China now has more nuclear launchers than the U.S. Russia has modernized its nuclear arsenal, as America’s becomes increasingly obsolescent.
It has become undeniable that this White House is not serious about National Security. As GOP Congressional officials point out,
“Joe Biden has failed to stand up to our adversaries in Beijing, Tehran, and Moscow. The Biden Administration allowed a Chinese surveillance balloon to traverse the entire continental U.S. over the course of 7 days, gathering intelligence and flying over sensitive military sites, before taking action.
“Biden’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan resulted in: OVER 1,000 Americans abandoned behind enemy lines for months at the mercy of the Taliban and $7 billion in U.S. military equipment left behind.
“Under Biden, the U.S Army fell 15,000 soldiers short of their recruitment goal for FY22, missing by 25%. According to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Personnel Policy, who testified before the Senate Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee, ‘This constitutes an unprecedented mission gap. The Army projects the number of active duty soldiers could drop by as much as 6% in FY23, below the branch’s budgeted target request for the year. ‘“
Part of being prudent about defense is taking care of our veterans. After analyzing the Veterans Administration budget, the Veterans of Foreign Wars notes that $17.8 billion additional is needed to adequately care for those put their lives on the line for the nation, and incurred damages as a result.
Some of the numerous errors made by the current White House can be rectified, with some pain, in future, more rational administrations. Not so when it comes to national security.
Photo: An M1A1-SA Abrams tank belonging to D Troop, 6th Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, moves along the boundary road en route to its battle position during the gunnery qualification at Fort Stewart, Ga., March 29, 2018. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Nathan C. Berry