

In 1979, Army Chief of Staff General Edward C. Photos of the Close Combat Vehicle Light from a private collection.

Close Combat Vehicle Light at the National Museum of Military Vehicles in 2020 View of inside of the CCVL External images Some of its efforts around this time could be described as hopelessly intermingled. During this time, a string of Army projects to update or replace the Sheridan were begun, but all ended without the Army committing to buy. In the 1980s, the Army began looking for a more capable replacement for the Sheridan. The Army designated the M3 Bradley armored reconnaissance vehicle to partially fill the Sheridan's role. A small number were retained in active service by the 82nd Airborne Division and the National Guard. Army recognized the poor performance of the M551 Sheridan light tank in the Vietnam War and began the process of retiring the vehicle in 1977. Main article: M551 Sheridan replacement process BAE Systems offered the AGS system for the Army's XM1302 Mobile Protected Firepower requirement, but lost to the General Dynamics Griffin II-later type classified as the M10 Booker-in 2022. United Defense LP proposed the AGS as the Mobile Gun System (MGS) variant of the Interim Armored Vehicle program in 2000, but lost out to the General Motors–General Dynamics' LAV III, which was type classified as the Stryker M1128 Mobile Gun System. The AGS was unsuccessfully marketed for export, and was reincarnated for several subsequent U.S. The AGS never saw service, though the 82nd Airborne sought to press the preproduction units into service in Iraq. The Sheridan was retired without a true successor. The Army canceled the M8 AGS program in 1996 over the objections of Congress and the Department of Defense, due to the service's budgetary constraints. The service sought to purchase 237 AGS systems to begin fielding in 1997. The service selected FMC's CCVL over proposals from three other teams. By 1992, the AGS was one of the Army's top priority acquisition programs. The Army began the Armored Gun System program to develop a mobile gun platform that could be airdropped. The M8 AGS began as a private venture of FMC Corporation, called the Close Combat Vehicle Light ( CCVL), in 1983. The M8 Armored Gun System ( AGS), sometimes known as the Buford, is an American light tank that was intended to replace the M551 Sheridan and TOW missile-armed Humvees in the 82nd Airborne Division and 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment (2nd ACR) of the U.S.
