Isnt the only purpose of this unit to get it for sector lockdown anyway?
Currently, yes. That's the issue. Just like when the OST had the 221 its only job was to wait and be upgraded into a 222. The 221 itself was garbage and as such it got removed and the 222 was simply made stock. The issue lies in that they added the 221 back. If they had no intent of it being somewhat useful as the 221 they shouldn't be ducking around by having it just as a catalyst for the 223 same as they had for Ost and just jump to it.
As it is a 20 fuel after truck after tech unit is losing to a fuel free t0 unit from brits and a 15 fuel transport from Soviet t1 (10 fuel and 160mp prerequisite) which is unacceptable in terms of simple math. If making it cheaper or more durable is going to make it too problematic for USF then perhaps it's AI should be toned down but allow its AP to ensure that it acts like a 222 lite- durable and anti transport offering okw an armored approach without over doing their AI.