Stryker
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- Alternate use: Stryker Corporation manufactures medical and orthopedic products.
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| Infantry Fighting Variant equipped with the .50 caliber machine gun | |
| Country Of Origin: | United States |
| Designation: | Infantry Fighting Vehicle |
| Configuration: | 8 x 8 |
| Manufacturer: | General Dynamics Land Systems |
| Crew: | 4 |
| Length: | 6.95 m (22.92 ft) |
| Width: | 2.72 m (8.97 ft) |
| Height: | 2.64 m (8.72 ft) |
| Weight: | 16,472 kg 18.12 t (ICV) 18,772 kg 20.65 t (MGS) |
| Clearance: | |
| Fording: | |
| Obstacle: | |
| Trench: | |
| Speed: | 100 km/h (62 mph) (road) km/h (off-road) |
| Range: | 502 km (312 miles) |
| Primary armament: | M68A1E4 105 mm gun M2 .50 caliber gun 2 x M6 smoke grenades |
| Secondary armament: | .50-caliber M2 gun MK19 40mm grenade machine gun or MK240 7.62mm machine gun 4 x M6 smoke grenades |
| Armour: | mm |
| Power plant: | 350 hp |
The Stryker is a family of eight wheeled, all wheel drive, armored combat vehicles produced by General Dynamics Land Systems and is in current use by the US Army. It is the first military vehicle to enter service in the US military since the M1 Abrams tank in the 1980s. The Stryker is based on the LAV III light-armoured vehicle, which in turn is based on the Mowag Piranha.
Stryker is named in honor of two American servicemen: Spc. Robert F. Stryker, who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Vietnam War, and Pfc. Stuart S. Stryker, who received the award for his actions during World War II. Both men were killed in action.
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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 "Catcher's Mask" style deflector (known as slat armor) that pre-detonates a RPG's high explosive (HE), thereby reducing the overall penetration power and increasing the durability of the vehicle.
Variants
Anti-Tank Guided Missile Variant equipped
with the TOW missile and M240B machine gun
The Stryker chassis is very modular in design to tout increased survivability and supports a wide range of inter-changeable 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 105 mm M68A1 rifled cannon, the same gun system as was used on the original M1 variant of the Abrams main battle tank.
The Stryker has the following configurations with more planned in the future:
- Armored Personel Carrier (APC)
- Nuclear, Biological, Chemical Reconnaissance Variant (NBC RV)
- Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) armed with TOW missile
- Mortar Carrier (MC) armed with 120mm mortar
- Medical Evacuation Variant (MEV)
- Engineer Squad Variant (ESV)
- Command Variant (CV)
- Fire Support Variant (FSV)
- Reconnaissance Variant (RV)
- Mobile Gun System (MGS)
All Strykers share common parts, self recovering abilities, and bullet resistant self inflating (run-flat) tires, along with their anti-RPG slat armor. Armament: M2 .50 cal machine gun, MK19 grenade machine gun, TOW anti-tank guided missile, M240B machine gun.
The Strykers seen in US Army service are criticized for being poorly armed compared with similar vehicles, like the similar Coyote. The Stryker could mount the same turret, with 25 mm autocannon as the Coyote or the USMC's LAV but vehicles equipped with this turret are too tall to drive on and off a C-130 transport aircraft. Being able to drive off the C-130, and right into combat, was regarded as more important than providing the occupants with a more powerful weapon. It should be noted that the Stryker is too wide to enter a C-130 when the "slat" armor is attached.
Operators
Stryker-IFV-MK19.jpg
- United States - 3rd Brigade 2nd Infantry Division (known as the "Stryker Brigade")
Combat history
Deployments
- Post-invasion Iraq, 2003-2005: the first Stryker brigades were deployed to Iraq in October 2003.
Criticisms
The Stryker has been something of a controversial vehicle, with many criticisms levered at its concept, design, doctrine and costs. The Stryker MGS is most often compared by critics to the cancelled M8 AGS and the ICV to the M113A3. It is argued that any C4I technologies to be fitted on Stryker giving it its purported Situational Awareness advantage can also be installed on existing, more survivable and efficient vehicles
A 108-page report in 2003 to a Congressman reports on many flaws of the Stryker.
Disadvantages of Wheeled Vehicles in General
Critics claim that a wheeled vehicle suffers many disadvantages versus a tracked vehicle:
- Inferior cross-country ability due to higher ground pressure. A track distributes vehicular weight over an area equal to the width of the tracks multipled by its length on the ground, which tends to be comparable to the vehicle's length. Tires distribute weight only over the relatively small areas of tire contact with the ground. Thus tracks can go over terrain where wheels would sink.
- This also means it is more likely to set off pressure-detonated mines.
- The performance of a wheeled vehicle suffers more with excess weight than a tracked vehicle. The wheels don't take weight as well and may even burst.
- Wheels are high and vulnerable targets for even small arms. The wheel wells cannot be protected by track-style armored skirts, for that would interfere with the vehicle turning.
- So called run-flat tires are only marginally effective.
- Wheels can turn the vehicle, but tracks can pivot the vehicle. Thus large wheeled vehicles (Stryker), have larger turn radiuses and inferior maneuverability.
- Wheeled vehicles find it very difficult to surmount obstacles (such as barricades) that a tracked vehicle would easily climb over.
- A wheeled vehicle is not really faster in field conditions when one takes into account the tracked vehicle's superior maneuverability and off-road performance.
- Any advantages a wheeled vehicle has over steel tracked counterparts can be nullified by using new band-track (http://www.geocities.com/equipmentshop/bandtracks.htm) and electric-drive technology.
See also: Tracks versus Wheels (http://www.geocities.com/wheelsvstracks/) The Wheel Versus Track Dilemma (http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/docs/2wheels98.pdf)
Design
In addition to generic criticisms from the choice of wheels over tracks, critics claim there are many flaws with the Stryker.
ICV and general complaints
- A lack of amphibious ability, since there is no waterjet. Unlike tracks, wheels cannot swim without waterjets.
- A original "Key Performance Factor" was for it to be air-transportable by C-130. Without any extra armor, the infantry variant scrapes by the doors. If it is empty, it is estimated the C-130 can carry it about 100 miles. It is too heavy to be carried in a combat-ready state.
- It may be relatively quiet, but it is too big. (Here, one must be fair: It is actually smaller in its basic dimensions than a BTR-80.)
- The design, even in its lighter "ICV" (APC) variant was already overweight compared to the original design weight (meant for a 1960s armored police car) due to additional armor. This extra weight not only degraded its strategic mobility, but also its reliability and stability.
- The ICV weapons systems are not only light, but they lack stabilization (being pintle mounted), so the vehicle cannot shoot-on-the-move.
- Cramped and gets very hot inside, but there is no air-conditioning, because it has been removed to save weight.
- The armor still too light for RPGs, but additional armor would worsen the overweight problem of the vehicle.
MGS-specific criticisms
- The C-130 cannot carry the heavier Mobile Gun System at all, thus totally failing the "Key Performance Factor" above.
- Instead of using a low pressure gun like the M8 (or the Russian 2S25), the Stryker MGS uses the M60's 105mm M68A1 cannon. This gun has far too much recoil for the Stryker's weight class.
- Thus, they added a muzzle brake. Muzzle brakes reduce recoil at the cost of extra blast and noise. The noise level in tests approached 200dB. It is estimated that means a soldier cannot safely approach within 450m of a firing Stryker MGS. The blast debris was also extensive, forcing the crew to fight in the buttoned-up position.
- Even with the muzzle brake, the recoil still damages the MGS' more delicate internals, such as night vision electronics, the lights, instrumentation and helmets worn by test dummies. Without the muzzle brake, the recoil mechanism is destroyed.
- Unlike the M8 autoloader, the MGS autoloader apparently cannot reliably select the right type of round. It also has a carousel with half the capacity, reducing its battle endurance.
- Crew spaces so cramped it accomodates less than 5% of the population.
- Only 2-axles on a Stryker are equipped with run-flat tires. The MGS is too heavy to be supported on 2 axles.
- No winch, thus no self-recovery
- Various other ergonomic and survivability flaws.
Updates
According to a Washington Post article, the Stryker vehicle has some serious faults; e.g. the insufficient ability to carry additional armor for protection against rocket-propelled grenades. The 5,000 pounds armor that was added caused problems with the automatic tire pressure system, causing crews to check tire pressure three times a day. Other problems include:
- The weapon system does not shoot accurately when the Stryker is moving.
- Troops cannot fasten their seat belts when they are wearing bulky body armor. Several soldiers have already been killed inside their Stryker vehicles when they rolled over.
- Computer systems for communications, intelligence and other systems have malfunctioned in the desert heat due to air conditioning problems.
- Washington Post Article (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A14284-2005Mar30.html)
- POGO article (http://www.pogo.org/p/defense/da-050304-stryker.html)
Counter-criticisms
- Vehicles are faster than tracked vehicles
- Vehicles are quiet in comparison to tanks.
- Tires have run-flat designs, allowing mobility after damage.
- Armor protects soldiers from bombs which destroy smaller vehicles such as Humvees.
- Durability allows fast repair and redeployment.
Source: Star and Stripes (http://www.military.com/NewContent/0,13190,SS_111004_Stryker,00.html)
See also
External links
- Army Stryker site (http://www.army.mil/features/strykeroe/)
- Army Technology - Stryker (http://www.army-technology.com/projects/stryker/)
- A non-military website dedicated to the troops in the Stryker Brigades (http://www.strykernews.com)
- A 2003 report criticizing the Stryker program as a whole (http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/congress/2003_rpt/stryker_reality_of_war.pdf)
- A site with many articles criticizing the Stryker (http://www.combatreform.com)
There's a disc jockey named Stryker from the Los Angeles, California radio station KROQ.