Stryker Light Armored VehicleThe Stryker Light Armored Vehicle is a highly deployable, wheeled armored vehicle that combines firepower, battlefield mobility, survivability and versatility, with reduced logistics requirements. The Stryker's primary mission is simple: get the warfighters to the battle faster.
History of the Stryker Light Armored VehicleThe Army awarded the contract for the Interim Armored Vehicle to a joint venture between units of General Dynamics Corp. and General Motors Corp. in November 2000. On 27 February 2002, the U.S. Army formally named its new Interim Armored Vehicle the “Stryker" in a ceremony at Fort Lauderdale, FL. During the summer of 2002, Strykers successfully deployed from C-130 and C-17 aircraft during demonstration at Fort Irwin, CA. Stryker was named in honor of two Medal of Honor recipients: Pfc. Stuart S. Stryker, who served in World War II, and Spc. Robert F. Stryker, who served in Vietnam. The Stryker will be a primary weapons platform for the Interim Brigade Combat Teams (IBCTs) assigned over 300 vehicles each. It will assist the IBCT in covering the near-term capabilities gap between Legacy Force heavy and light units. Characteristics of the Stryker Light Armored VehicleStryker is a wheeled armored vehicle 23 ft. long, by 9 ft. wide and high, weighing 38,000 pounds, driven by a 350hp engine. It is a family of ten different vehicles, tabulated below, with four-wheel drive that selectively becomes eight-wheel drive. The vehicle has a maximum range of 312 miles. The Stryker ICV carries a two-man crew and a squad of nine infantry soldiers. Like all Strykers it has 14.5mm armor protection all around and protection on the roof. Add-on armor kits enable the Stryker to withstand RPG-7 threats as well. The Stryker can be deployed by C-130, C-17 and C-5 aircraft and be combat-capable upon arrival. Stryker VersionsThere are two basic versions (ICV and MGS) plus eight other variants:
The vehicles have robust armor protection, can sustain speeds of 60 miles-per-hour, have parts commonality and self-recovery abilities as well as a central tire inflation system.
Thanks to Bob Pettit for suggestions about this page. |