The eight-wheeled Stryker combat vehicle serves as the principal combat and combat support platform for the Stryker Brigade Combat Team of the United States Army. It also serves as the focal point of the current phase of Army Transformation. By virtue of being considerably lighter and more mobile in comparison to current tanks and armored vehicles, the Stryker satisfies an urgent need to furnish Combatant Commanders with a brigade that is both operationally and strategically deployable (C-17/C-5) and capable of swift movement across the globe in a combat-ready state (C-130).
The Army formally designated its newly acquired Interim Armored Vehicle the “Stryker” on February 27, 2002, during a ceremony held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The Stryker is an armored wheeled vehicle with reduced logistical requirements that combines armament, battlefield mobility, survivability, and versatility. It is also highly deployable.
The automobile was designated with the names of two Medal of Honor recipients: Spc. Robert F. Stryker, who served in Vietnam, and Pfc. Stuart S. Stryker, who served in World War II. The Stryker will serve as the IBCTs’ principal weapon platform. It will aid the IBCT in bridging the capabilities gap between our heavy and light divisions of the Legacy Force in the near future. The IBCT, which is equipped with Stryker missiles, will grant the commander of joint and multinational forces greater operational and tactical flexibility in order to carry out the envisioned fast-paced, dispersed, non-contiguous operations that span the entire spectrum of conflict.
The Stryker interim armored vehicle (IAV) is a family of ten distinct vehicles sharing a common chassis. It has a weight of 19 tons and is equipped with eight wheels. The Stryker is available in the Infantry Carrier Vehicle (ICV) and Mobile Gun System (MGS) configurations. Engineer Squad Vehicle (ESV), Mortar Carrier (MC), Reconnaissance Vehicle (RV), Commanders Vehicle (CV), Fire Support Vehicle (FSV), Medical Evacuation Vehicle (MEV), Anti-tank Guided Missile Vehicle (ATGM), and NBC Reconnaissance Vehicle (NBCRV) are the remaining eight configurations of the ICV.
2,112 Strykers will be deployed in support of the six SBCTs and training base. Presently, eight configurations are in production; General Dynamics Land Systems delivered the initial systems to the Army in February 2002. In development, the MGS and NBCRV are scheduled for delivery in 2004.
Stryker vehicles are equipped with a central tire inflation system, robust armor protection, the ability to maintain velocities of 60 miles per hour, and parts interchangeability and self-recovery capabilities. The Infantry Carrier Vehicle is equipped with a Remote Weapon Station featuring either an MK-19, 40mm grenade launcher or an M2.50 caliber machine gun, and can accommodate a nine-man infantry squad and a crew of two. Moreover, performance and standardization are emphasized in the Stryker vehicle family, which minimizes the logistical footprint and sustainment expenses. The Stryker is propelled by the identical motor that sustains the Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV). Operating on 53 gallons of petroleum, the Stryker is capable of exceeding 300 miles at a speed of 60 mph.
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The purpose of the Stryker is to facilitate the SBCT’s maneuverability in urban and close-quarters environments while offering protection in unobstructed terrain. Transportability of the C-130; internetted C4ISR capability; protection against 14.5mm projectiles and 152mm artillery airbursts against integral all-around armor (with the option to upgrade to Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) protection with add-on armor); capability for self-deployment and recovery; reduced acoustic signature of the vehicle; capability to transport a nine-man infantry or engineer squad; and capability to breach bunkers and walls. These performance highlights furnish the Army with a capability that is not presently in stockpile: the ability to act swiftly as a unified combined arms combat team. The Stryker is the first true system-of-systems in the Army, and its unique organic combined arms capability enables the SBCT to operate.