Stryker

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For other uses, see Stryker (disambiguation).

Stryker
Stryker ICV with slat armor. ^[1]
General characteristics
Crew	2+9
Length	6.95 m (22.92 ft)
Width	2.72 m (8.97 ft)
Height	2.64 m (8.72 ft)
Weight	ICV: 16.47 t (18.12 sh tn) MGS: 18.77 t (20.65 sh tn)
Armour and armament
Armour	14.5 mm^[1]
Main armament	M68A1E4 105 mm gun (MGS) M2 .50 caliber machine gun or MK19 40 mm grenade launcher mounted in a PROTECTOR M151 Remote Weapon Station (RWS) (ICV)
Secondary armament	.50-cal M2 MG and M240 7.62mm MG (MGS)
Mobility
Power plant	diesel 260 kW (350 hp)
Suspension	8×8 wheeled
Road speed	100 km/h (62 mph)
Power/weight	ICV: 15.8 kW/t (19.3 hp/sh tn)
Range	500 km (300 mi)

The Stryker is a family of eight-wheeled all wheel drive (AWD) armored combat vehicles (ACVs) produced by General Dynamics Land Systems, in current use by the US Army. The Mobile Gun System (MGS) variant had been ordered by the Canadian Army to replace its fleet of Leopard I tanks, but this order was later cancelled.^[2]^{[citation needed]} It is the first new military vehicle to enter service in the US military since the M2 Bradley in the 1980s. The Stryker is based on the Canadian LAV III light-armored vehicle, which in turn is based on the Mowag Piranha. The impetus for Stryker came from then-Army Chief of Staff General Eric Shinseki.

Stryker is named in honor of two American servicemen who were killed in action at different times: Pfc Stuart S. Stryker, who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during World War II and Spc Robert F. Stryker, who received the award for his actions during the Vietnam War.

1 Production history
2 Design
3 Variants
- 3.1 Operators
4 US Brigades
5 Combat history
- 5.1 Deployments
6 Mission
- 6.1 Design
7 Criticisms
8 References
9 See also
10 External links
- 10.1 Official U.S. Army websites
- 10.2 Other websites

[edit] Production history

The Stryker Brigade Combat Team idea is relatively new and based upon the Brigade Combat Team Doctrine. A newer generation of equipment, such as the Stryker, digitally connected through military C4I networks greatly enhance the overall units' lethality and ability to react to hostile forces. This light and mobile team was championed by the 34th U.S. Army Chief of Staff, General Eric Shinseki.

The Stryker was recalled from duty early in Iraq in order to be retrofitted with armor capable of adequately defending against rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) attacks that it would likely face in Iraq. It has since been redeployed with the "catchers' mask"-style deflector (known as slat armor) that is specifically designed to disable the high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead of an RPG before it reaches the vehicle. It does so by squeezing together the angled sides of the metal nose cone and shorting the conductors between the detonator at the tip and the explosive charge at the back of the RPG warhead. This is a newer, more effective technique, not to be confused with older style appliqué plate armor with an air space behind, designed to pre-detonate the warhead such that the focus of the shaped charge dissipates before reaching the hull armor.

[edit] Design

The Stryker is a 4×8 switchable to 8×8 via pneumatics. It has high-range 4×8 and low-range 8×8. It operates normally in high 4×8. This vehicle uses pneumatics and hydraulics to operate most everything mechanically in it. All variants share major components, including the powerpack (engine, transmission, hydraulics), wheels, tires, differentials and transfer case. The only difference is the M1133 Stryker MEV (Medical Evacuation Vehicle) which has a higher-capacity generator, and the MEV and M1130 Stryker CV (Commander's Vehicle) which are both equipped with air-conditioning. This is mounted on the pack.

Most major components can be changed out very quickly. Almost every cable, hose, etc., has quick disconnects to speed up removal and installation. The pack can be removed and installed in less than one hour, making it faster to remove the pack and fix it outside the vehicle than to leave it in and fix the problem. An example would be the turbocharger.

The Stryker is equipped with several advanced systems that make it safer and easier to operate:

The automatic fire extinguishing system (AFES) has several sensors in the engine and troop compartments. If a fire is detected it will activate the fire bottle nearest the fire automatically. If it does not, the driver can activate the bottle from the driver's compartment.
central tire-inflation system (CTIS): From the driver's compartment, the driver can adjust the tire pressure to the terrain the vehicle is driving on for maximum speed and/or traction. There are four settings: highway/asphalt, snow/mud, general off-road terrain, and finally emergency. Emergency is only used when all four front wheels are destroyed. The Stryker can move for only a few miles on this setting before the remaining tires ignite. Each setting has a speed limit. A warning will go off if the vehicle exceeds the recommended speed for its tire pressure.

Extensive computer support helps soldiers fight the enemy while reducing friendly fire accidents. Each vehicle can track the other vehicles in the field as well as detected enemies.

A day-night thermal imaging (TI) camera is mounted outside the Stryker so the commander in the vehicle can see what the driver sees. Soldiers can practice training with the vehicles from computer training modules inside the vehicle.

Both the driver and the commander have periscopes, enabling them to see outside the vehicle without exposing themselves to outside dangers. The driver has a little more than 90 degrees and the commander has almost 360 degrees of vision from the safety of the inside.

The distinctive slatted "cage" on the outside of the vehicle is designed to give the Stryker an added level of protection from rockets, tank shells and similar impact-fused explosive weapons. The slats are designed to detonate such weapons before they contact the hull, dissapating the blast force and rendering it less harmful. The efficacy of this design has been debated.

The fuel tanks are externally mounted to reduce injury to troops in case of fire or explosion. They are designed to blow away from the vehicle and any fire would be kept outside the hull.

Unlike many modern armoured personnel carriers, the Stryker is not an amphibious vehicle. However, it can ford water up to the tops of the wheels due to the watertight combat hatch seals. The NBC system is airtight and can produce positive pressure.

[edit] Variants

The Stryker chassis is very modular in design to enable increased survivability and supports a wide range of interchangeable parts to create different variants. The two main chassis are the Infantry Carrier Vehicle (ICV) and the Mobile Gun System (MGS). The MGS is a heavier chassis to support a variant of the 105 mm M68A1 rifled cannon (M68A1E4), a lightweight version of the gun system used on the original M1 Abrams main battle tanks and the M60 Patton main battle tank. The M68A1E4 also features a muzzle brake to assist with recoil and an autoloader, a rare feature on US tank guns.

The Stryker has the following configurations with more planned:

M1134 Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) Variant equipped with a TOW missile and M240B machine gun

M1126 Infantry Carrier Vehicle (ICV)
M1127 Reconnaissance Vehicle (RV)
M1128 Mobile Gun System (MGS)
M1129 Mortar Carrier (MC) armed with 120 mm Mortar
M1130 Command Vehicle (CV)
M1131 Fire Support Vehicle (FSV)
M1132 Engineer Support Vehicle (ESV)
M1133 Medical Evacuation Vehicle (MEV)
M1134 Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) armed with TOW missile
M1135 Nuclear, Biological, Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicle (NBC RV)

All Strykers share common parts, limited self-recovering abilities and bullet-resistant self-inflating ("run-flat") tires, along with their anti-RPG slat armor.

Armament: TOW anti-tank guided missile; and a M2 .50 cal machine gun, MK19 grenade machine gun, or M240B machine gun in the PROTECTOR M151 Remote Weapon Station (RWS) ^[3].

[edit] Operators

M1126 APC variant equipped with the PROTECTOR M151 with MK19 grenade machine gun and anti-HEAT slat armor

M1134 Stryker ATGM carrier

United States Army - Seven Stryker Brigades will be formed^[4] -
- 3rd Brigade, 2d Infantry Division; - first Stryker Brigade formed
- 4th Brigade, 2d Infantry Division;- fourth Bde formed, ex 2 CR
- 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division; seventh Stryker Bde formed
- 2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division;
- 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment - ex 1st Bde, 25th Div, second Stryker Brigade formed
- 172d Infantry Brigade; - third Stryker Brigade formed, to become 1st Bde, 25th ID (L)
- 56th Stryker Brigade of the 28th Infantry Division, Pennsylvania National Guard (the only National Guard unit to get them).
Canada Purchased 66 vehicles in 2003, they are expected to arrive in 2010. It is rumoured that the MGS that Canada purchased will replace the current fleet of Leopard I tanks

[edit] US Brigades

SBCT 1 - 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division.
SBCT 2 - 2nd Cavalry Regiment - reflagged from 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division.
SBCT 3 - 172nd Infantry Brigade - to be reflagged 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division upon return from Iraq .
SBCT 4 - 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division - reflagged from 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment.
SBCT 5 - 2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division
SBCT 6 - 56th Brigade, 28th Infantry Division, Pennsylvania National Guard.
SBCT 7 - 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division - to be reflagged 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division in 2007. ^[5]

[edit] Combat history

[edit] Deployments

Post-invasion Iraq, 2003-2005: the first Stryker brigades were deployed to Iraq in October 2003. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis was the first to field and deploy the Stryker vehicle to combat in Iraq from Nov 2003 to Nov 2004. 3rd Brigade was relieved by 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (SBCT). The 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team from Fairbanks, Alaska's Fort Wainwright began its initial deployment in August 2005 to Summer 2006. Their stay was subsequently extended for up to four months and they were reassigned to Baghdad. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reporter Margaret Friedenauer is embedded with them. The 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division re-deployed to Iraq late Spring of 2006. The 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division is stationed in Vilsek, Germany, after reflagging to the U.S. 2nd Cavalry Regiment, to have a European presence and be able to deploy quickly to that part of the world. In this process, the existing 2nd Cavalry Regiment was reflagged to 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division. When the 172nd SBCT returns from Iraq, they will be reflagged as the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division.

[edit] Mission

The Stryker family of vehicles fill a role in the U.S. Army that is neither heavy nor light, but rather an attempt to create a force that can move infantry to the battlefield quickly and in relative security. Brigades that have been converted to Strykers have been light, or, in the case of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, unarmored HMMWV-based cavalry scouts. For these units, the addition of Strykers has increased combat power by providing armor protection, a vehicle-borne weapon system to support each dismounted squad (a PROTECTOR M151 Remote Weapon Station with .50-cal or Mk-19), and the speed and range to conduct missions far from the operating base.

Stryker units seem to be especially effective in urban areas, where vehicles can establish initial security positions near a building and dismount squads on a doorstep.

Similar to a UH-60 Black Hawk, the Stryker relies on its speed for the majority of its defense against heavy weapon systems. It is not capable of engaging heavily armored units and relies on other units to control threats outside of its classification.

However, at the National Training Center (Fort Irwin California) 3rd Brigade 2nd ID proved that through the use of unconventional tactics and small dismounted teams armed with anti armor weaponry, a Stryker unit could hold its own against a conventional armored unit should the need arise. This situation is something that commanders would most likely avoid due to a higher casualty rate.

Brigades equipped with the Stryker are intended to be strategically mobile (i.e. capable of being rapidly deployed over long distances). As such the Stryker was intentionally designed with a lower level of protection compared to tracked vehicles like the M2 Bradley, but with much lower logistic requirements.

[edit] Design

In addition to generic criticisms from the choice of wheels over tracks, critics claim there are many flaws with the Stryker. They also caution that any positive testimonial must be evaluated against the fact that five of the six planned Stryker brigades were previously foot-infantry units, hence the Stryker (or any armored vehicle) provides a great improvement on their former mobility and protection. Further, Iraq's many paved roads and very dry climate make a number of criticisms less significant in the current conflict yet no less valid overall. However, Canadians have had quite a bit of trouble with the LAV IIIs (which the Stryker is based on) getting stuck in the mud in Afghanistan and rolling over. ^[6].

Soldiers and officers who use Strykers defend them as very effective vehicles; an article in the Washington Post states:

"But in more than a dozen interviews, commanders, soldiers and mechanics who use the Stryker fleet daily in one of Iraq's most dangerous areas unanimously praised the vehicle. The defects outlined in the report were either wrong or relatively minor and did little to hamper the Stryker's effectiveness, they said.".

One colonel said that the Strykers saved the lives of at least a hundred soldiers deployed in northern Iraq.^[7]

Soldiers of a Stryker Unit say they will not go into combat without a Stryker.

Colby Buzzell, in "My War" and on his blog, defends the utility of the Stryker over track armor in urban settings.

The Stryker MGS has been pushed into low-rate initial production for evaluation,^[8] with plans for full production in 2007.

[edit] Criticisms

Main article: Stryker Vehicle Controversy

The Stryker has come under intense scrutiny since its introduction in the US Army. A report to a Congressman initially blasted various points concerning the vehicle, only to have soldiers in the field seemingly exonerate its performance in a report by the US Army. However, the Stryker has revived some age old issues concerning whether tracked or wheeled vehicles are more effective, as well as specific complaints concerning various Stryker features.