The Stryker is a vehicle which entered service in 2002 and was serving active combat in Iraq and is now serving active combat in Afghanistan. The design derives from the Canadian LAV III. It is an 8×8 wheeled vehicle which means that it does best on road rather than rough terrain.

Variations

There are several variations of the Stryker and they have several different armaments.

  1. The first variation is the ‘Infantry Carrier Vehicle’. This has an M2 50.cal as the main weapon with smoke launchers. However this type of Stryker can also carry the mk.19 40 mm grenade launcher in place as the main weapon. The ICV variation weighs in at 16.47 tonnes and has enough armour to protect its occupants as well as the vehicle from 14.5mm fire on its frontal arc. Elsewhere protection lies at around 7.62 mm protection and resistance. The main purpose for this vehicle, stated by the US army is to transport soldiers around the battlefield quickly with enough protection to get them to a destination.
  2. The second variation of this vehicle is the ‘Mobile Gun System’ (MGS). This features a 105 mm tank gun which makes this vehicle a “light wheeled tank”. The gun it uses is a M68A1E4 rifled barrelled gun and has been used in operations against buildings. It weighs in at over 15 tonnes and is resistant to 14.5mm weapons fire. It has a secondary weapon which fires a M240 C coaxial machine gun.

Other information

The vehicle can also have bolt-on ceramics added all around the vehicle to further protect the vehicle from 14.5mm, all around the vehicle as opposed just the front. It can also be fitted with cages to protect the vehicle against light AT

weapons such as rocket propelled grenades. (RPG)

Article still needs updating.