The US Army has officially closed its M10 Booker armored infantry support vehicle program, which had been set for full-rate production.
The termination appears rooted in the tank’s design, which was conceptualized as a light, air-deployable system that eventually evolved into a heavier, less agile platform.
The resolution comes after the US Department of Defense’s planned shift to a “leaner, more lethal force,” a large part of which is diverting investment priorities from “outdated, redundant, and inefficient” programs to modern initiatives.
“This concept of sunk cost fallacy, it is a thing that human beings generally struggle with, which is if you’ve invested a lot in the past, and we do this in our personal lives, you get anchored to things that are suboptimal for the future,” US Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll said in an interview with Defense News.
“It ended up medium. I don’t think the manufacturer liked it all that much, and we, the Army as a customer, kind of helped create this Frankenstein that came to be.”
Progress Overview
The Pentagon had already earmarked more than $4 billion for the M10 Booker program, allowing the commissioning of up to 500 M10s into the army.
To date, the military has spent approximately $1 billion on the tanks, with the turrets produced in Ohio, chassis in Michigan, and final assembly in Alabama.
The initial production contract for the program, which was first called “Mobile Protected Firepower,” was awarded to General Dynamics Land Systems in June 2022 and covered up to 96 platforms.
The army launched the tank a year later and in April 2024 accepted the first vehicle into service.
What Next?
According to Defense News, a US Army source said that the ongoing low-rate production of the M10s will not halt abruptly. Currently, the army’s inventory consists of 26 Booker tanks.
“There are a number of M10 Bookers currently in final stages of production that will be accepted by the Army,” the outlet said, citing its source. “The final number of M10 Bookers will be determined once those that are in final stages of completion are accepted by the Army.”
Meanwhile, an official statement from the US Army said that the force will “request to reallocate the remaining funds in fiscal 2025 to accelerate fielding of war-winning capabilities and anticipates additional significant savings to be fully realized within the next 18-24 months.”
“Although M10 Booker production will conclude, the Army appreciates the efforts of the team and Soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division who worked on the program,” the service added.
The M10 Booker System
General Dynamics’ M10 Booker is armed with an M35 105-millimeter low-recoil tank gun and a Browning heavy machine gun.
It is fitted with an Allison 3040 MX cross-drive transmission and an MTU 800-horsepower diesel engine with 800 horsepower.
The vehicle has a top speed of 45 miles (72 kilometers) per hour and a range of 350 miles (563 kilometers).
