Stryker Armoured Vehicle
The Stryker Armoured Vehicle is a Combat vehicle, also known as the Interim Armoured Vehicle that can hold a nine-man infantry squad or engineer squad; it has bunker and wall breaching capability.
The Stryker Armoured Vehicle has two main variants, which are the Infantry Carrier Vehicle (ICV) and the Mobile Gun System (MGS). The Stryker has several variations: Reconnaissance Vehicle (RV), Mortar Carrier (MC), Commanders Vehicle (CV), Fire Support Vehicle (FSV), Engineer Squad Vehicle (ESV), Medical Evacuation Vehicle (MEV), Anti-tank Guided Missile Vehicle (ATGM), and the Reconnaissance Vehicle (NBCRV).
The vehicle is named after two fallen US servicemen fighting in different eras who were both presented with the Medal of Honour. The first is PFC Stuart S. Stryker who served in World War 2. The second was Robert F. Stryker who served in Vietnam.
Stryker Armoured Vehicle
Stryker In Iraq Combat Zone
Stryker On Exercise
Different Stryker Variants within the Military
There are many variants of the Stryker. This is because the design has many interchangeable parts, thus allowing creation of different vehicle types. As with all vehicles there are a few main variants and for the Stryker these are the Infantry Carrier Vehicle (ICV) along with the Mobile Gun System.
As you would expect the heavier of the two chassis is the MGS, which allows support for the 105mm M68A1 Rifled Cannon, or the lightweight gun versions, found on the M1 Abrams and M60 Patton tank.
Also featuring with the M68A1E4 is a muzzle break, which is used to assist with the recoil, along with an autoloader, which is rare on U.S tanks guns.
Interim - Stryker Configurations
The Interim Armoured Vehicle - Stryker has the following configurations:
- 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)
Stryker Patrolling Iraq Street
MK19 40mm Grenade Launcher
M2 .50 Caliber Machine Gun
Interim - Stryker's Weapons and Fire Systems
The Stryker primary weapon system can mount either a M2 .50 caliber machine gun or an MK19 40mm grenade launcher. The 40 mm grenade launcher is mounted in a protector m151 remote weapon station. The Stryker's secondary weapon systems can consist of either .50-cal M2 MG or the M240 7.62mm MG.
Stryker Armour
The eight wheeled Stryker has 14.5mm armour protection and 152mm artillery Airburst protection, (which is upgradeable to Rocket propelled Grenade (RPG) protection with add-on armour). The 19-ton Stryker has the same engines as the family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) and can reach a speed of around 60mph and climbing, and a range of more than 300 miles on 53 gallons of fuel. The Stryker was produced by General Dynamics Combat Systems, and is currently in use by the U.S Army.
Stryker Special Features
The Stryker is significantly lighter and is much easier to transport than existing tanks and armoured vehicles. The Stryker has the ability to rapidly equip a strategically deployable (C-17/C-5) along with a deployable (C-130) bridge which allows rapid battle ready deployment in all combat environments.
Military Stryker Deployments
There have been many divisions that have adopted the Stryker technology. These include the 172nd Stryker brigade combat team from Fairbanks. The initial deployment at Alaska's Fort Wainwright was carried out between August 2005 and Summer 2006. They were reassigned to Baghdad for an extended four months.
The deployment of the Stryker Mobile Gun Systems took place in Iraq in May 2007. The 4th Brigade 2nd Infantry Division was the unit deployed as part of "the surge".
Other Helpful Links:
General Dynamics - Details of the Stryker from General Dynamics Land Systems
