Stryker

The Stryker is a family of eight-wheeled armored fighting vehicles derived from the Canadian LAV III. Stryker vehicles are produced by General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada (GDLS-C) for the United States Army in a plant in London, Ontario. It has four-wheel drive (8×4) and can be switched to all-wheel drive (8×8).
The Stryker was conceived as a family of vehicles forming the backbone of a new medium-weight brigade combat team (BCT) that was to strike a balance between armored brigade combat teams (heavy armor) and infantry brigade combat teams. The service launched the Interim Armored Vehicle competition, and in 2000, the service selected the LAV III proposed by GDLS and General Motors Defense. The service named this family of vehicles the "Stryker".
Ten variants of the Stryker were initially conceived, some of which have been upgraded with v-hulls.
In October 1999, U.S. Army Chief of Staff General Eric Shinseki outlined a transformation plan for the Army that would allow it to adapt to post–Cold War conditions. The plan, named "Objective Force", would have the army adopt a flexible doctrine that would allow it to deploy quickly, and be equipped for a variety of operations. An early phase of the plan called for the introduction of an Interim Armored Vehicle (IAV), which was intended to fill the capability gap between heavier and heavily armed, but not easily deployable, vehicles, such as the M2 Bradley, and easily deployable vehicles that are lightly armed and protected, such as the Humvee.
The IAV was intended as an interim vehicle until light air-mobile vehicles from the Future Combat Systems Manned Ground Vehicles program came online, none of which did before the program was canceled.
In February 2000, General Dynamics and General Motors announced they were partnering to enter the IAV competition. The agreement built off earlier cooperative effort: In January 1999, General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS)–Canada integrated its Low Profile Turret (LPT) onto an assault gun version of the LAV III. The General Motors Defense–General Dynamics Land Systems team was awarded the $8 billion contract in November 2000 to produce 2,131 vehicles of a variant of the Canadian LAV III, for equipping six rapid deployment Brigade Combat Teams by 2008. United Defense protested the contract award in December, saying that their proposal cost less than half that of GM–GDLS. The General Accounting Office rejected the protest in April 2001.
U.S. Assistant Secretary of the Army Paul J. Hoeper called the IAV "the best off-the-shelf equipment available in the world in this class", though many in the Army openly wondered whether the vehicles were underclassed compared to the vehicles they might face in battle. In February 2002, the Army formally renamed the IAV as the "Stryker" after two unrelated U.S. soldiers who posthumously received the Medal of Honor: Private First Class Stuart S. Stryker, who died in World War II, and Specialist Four Robert F. Stryker, who died in the Vietnam War.
In 2002, as the Stryker program faced criticism from lawmakers, including former Congressman Newt Gingrich, Pentagon officials mulled reducing the number of planned Stryker Brigade Combat Teams from six to three for a cost savings of $4.5 billion. In October, the Stryker's C-130 air mobility was demonstrated for lawmakers at Andrews Air Force Base. At the Association of the United States Army, Army Chief of Staff Eric Shinseki defended the six-brigade plan and boasted that the C-130 could carry a Stryker "every way but sideways".
Four brigades were funded in the DoD's budget proposal for fiscal year 2004, with Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld deferring a decision on two additional until July 2003. In May, the Army readied the Stryker for initial operating capability at Fort Polk. The New York Times noted the swiftness with which the program had proceeded from its inception in 1999.
In November 2003, 311 Stryker vehicles were deployed in the Iraq War, where they saw mixed success. Never designed for frontline combat, the vehicles were pressed into counterinsurgency roles for which there was an unmet need.
Unexpectedly fierce resistance by insurgents prompted field upgrades to the vehicle's armor. To counter the threat of rocket-propelled grenades, General Dynamics developed slat armor, which added 5,000 lb (2,270 kg) to the Stryker's total weight. In addition to hindering mobility in the field, the heavy slat armor made transporting the Stryker via C-130 impossible.
In February 2005, Army Chief of Staff General Peter J. Schoomaker told the House Armed Services Committee that "we're absolutely enthusiastic about what the Stryker has done." However, a leaked U.S. Army report from December 2004 said the Stryker was "effective and survivable only with limitations for use in small-scale contingencies." The report, which drew from feedback from Stryker personnel in Mosul, described a litany of design flaws, and said the effectiveness of the vehicles was "getting worse, not better."
The Stryker 105 mm M1128 mobile gun system (MGS) moved into low-rate initial production in 2005 for evaluation, and entered full production in 2007. General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada assembles the Stryker for the U.S. Army in a plant in London, Ontario.
The vehicle is employed in Stryker Brigade Combat Teams, light and mobile units based on the brigade combat team doctrine that relies on vehicles connected by military CI (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence) networks.
General Dynamics's Robotic Systems division was developing autonomous navigation for the Stryker and several other vehicles with a $237 million contract, until the program was cut in July 2011. The Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) has tested an active magneto rheological suspension, developed by MillenWorks for the Stryker, at the Yuma Proving Ground, which resulted in greater vehicle stability.
In 2011, over 1,000 Stryker vehicles had been rebuilt by the Anniston Army Depot and returned to operations.
Throughout its years in service, the Stryker has undergone various survivability upgrades and received "kit" applications designed to improve the vehicle's ability to withstand attacks.
The US Army plans to improve its fleet of Stryker vehicles with the introduction of improved semi-active suspension, modifications reshaping the hull into a shallow V-shaped structure, to protect against improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Included are additional armor for the sides, redesigned hatches to minimize gaps in the armor, blast-absorbent, mine-resistant seating, non-flammable tires, an upgrade to the remote weapon station that allows it to fire while moving, increased 500 ampere electrical generation, a new solid-state power distribution system and data bus, and the automotive and power plant systems improvements to support one-fourth greater gross vehicle weight. The upgraded V-hull will be part of the new StrykShield situational awareness kit, which will address many of these upgrades. Allegheny Technologies' ATI 500-MIL armor steel was designated the primary armored plating for the StrykShield package in 2008.
The upgrade incorporating lessons learned from combat in Afghanistan is designated LAV-H. General Dynamics had a technology demonstrator displayed at the 2007 Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Exposition. In March 2010, it was reported that General Dynamics and Army were working to incorporate a double V-hull into the Stryker design. In July 2010 the Army awarded a $30 million contract to GDLS to start production of the new hull.
In March 2011, the Department of Defense's director of operational test and evaluations testified that the new V-hull design was "not suitable" for long missions in Afghanistan's terrain. The issues are due to the tight driver's compartment and difficulty releasing the seat to extract an incapacitated driver. General Dynamics stated these issues would be corrected before the deployment of the new Stryker version. The upgrade added significant weight to the vehicle, which can cause it to sink into soft ground.
In July 2011, 450 Double V-Hull (DVH) variants of the Stryker were ordered. The total was increased to 742 a few months later and then to 760 in 2012. DVH Strykers include a new hull configuration, increased armor, upgraded suspension and braking systems, wider tires, blast-attenuating seats, and a height management system.
By August 2012, the Army's Stryker fleet included over 4,187 vehicles, with 10 flat-bottom variants and seven in double V-hull designs. In Afghanistan, it retained a 96 percent readiness rate. To upgrade the existing fleet, the Army has implemented an Engineering Change Proposal (ECP) program to provide a stronger engine, improved suspension, more onboard electrical power, and next-generation networking and computing technology.
Phase 1 of the ECP includes an electrical power upgrade by replacing the extant 570 amp alternator with a higher current 910 amp alternator, replacing the existing 350 horsepower engine with a 450-horsepower engine, a stronger suspension system to improve mobility at higher weights, and an in-vehicle network to improve data and video sharing between crew stations and more secure and reliable data sharing between vehicle systems. In May 2013, Kongsberg Integrated Tactical Systems was awarded a contract to supply the Driver's Situational Awareness Display (DSAD) and Commander's Situational Awareness Display (CSAD) for the Stryker ECP program, featuring an onboard processor and additional I/O ports for both data and video.
As of January 2014, the U.S. Army had two Stryker Brigades that completed the DVH upgrade. A third brigade, the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division at Joint Base Lewis–McChord, was to be fully upgraded by the end of FY 2016. In mid-October 2014, the Army approved the procurement of DVH Strykers for a fourth Stryker brigade, with conversions to 360 vehicles to begin in FY 2017. The Strykers will be the first to receive ECPs to handle the upgrades better than the previous three brigade vehicles, which increased weight, decreased mobility, and added a power burden. Previous DVH-upgraded Strykers will get ECP enhancements when funding is available. ECP enhancements include a more robust 450 HP engine, a more powerful 910 amp power generator, a chassis upgrade to handle the new engine, and improvements to the vehicle's internal network. In 2018, the Army Requirements Oversight Council approved the conversion of all flat bottomed Strykers to the DVHA1 standard. This will be done through a combination of upgrading existing Strykers and new built vehicles. The Army acquisition goal for the fleet of DVHA1 vehicles is 4,459 which will allow all Stryker Brigades to field the vehicle and other units within the army which use the vehicle like M-SHORAD and CBRN detection. Procurement is to last into the 2030s with procurement averaging 165 Strykers a year or roughly half of a Stryker brigades vehicle set.
Upgrading the fourth brigade also kept the production line active through 2018, whereas deciding to upgrade after the line had closed would be more difficult and costly to reopen it. The upgrades of the engine and power generator, 60,000 lb (27,000 kg) suspension, and DVH designate the vehicle the Stryker-A1. The Army plans to increase the lethality of Stryker ICVs by having half equipped with a 30 mm cannon and the other half given a Javelin anti-tank missile on the existing RWS in each brigade. By September 2020, half of the 2nd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division had fielded the third-generation Stryker DVHA1 variant.
In February 2018, the Army announced that Stryker vehicles would be modified with sensors and weapons to fulfill an interim Maneuver-Short-Range Air Defense (M-SHORAD) requirement. This is in response to a capability gap identified in Europe against Russian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). With the previous focus on fighting in the Middle East, the U.S. Army had neglected SHORAD capabilities. In future conflicts, it is feared they would not be able to rely on air dominance to counter enemy aircraft. In addition to deploying AN/TWQ-1 Avengers and fielding man-portable Stinger missiles, Strykers are to be upgraded to buy time to build a lasting mobile air defense solution.
Because the unarmored Humvee-based Avenger lacks survivability and range to keep up with maneuver forces and hold off enemy aircraft in contested territory, four battalions totaling 144 Stryker SHORADs are planned, with the first battery of 12 systems fielded in 2020. The Stryker platform was chosen because it has better protection and in regards to size, weight and power considerations, especially for the possibility of integrating a directed energy weapon in the future. The first unit to be equipped with them will be the 4th Battalion, 5th Air Defense Artillery Regiment. The Army planned to select the weapons configuration to be fitted onto the vehicle in late 2018.
In June 2018, the Army chose Leonardo DRS to supply the mission equipment package, which partnered with Moog Inc. to integrate the Reconfigurable Integrated-weapons Platform (RIwP) onto the vehicle. The system can be fitted with a Stinger pod and Longbow Hellfire missile rails and comes equipped with a 30 mm M230LF chain gun and the 7.62 mm M240 coaxial machine gun, as well as non-kinetic defeat capabilities and a RADA Electronic Industries onboard Multi-Mission Hemispheric Radar (MHR).
The Army chose DRS because of the flexibility of the reconfigurable turret to allow for growth opportunities and alternate weapon options. It posed less intrusion to the existing vehicle platform, as they have a desire to keep the Stryker as common across the fleet as possible, and it provided increased protection as the crew can reload ammunition under armor. All 144 M-SHORAD systems are planned to be delivered by 2022.
The turret can mount one four-shot Stinger pod or two Hellfire missiles on either side. Reloading of the M230LF and Stingers can be done through roof hatches giving partial protection. The system can act in a secondary anti-vehicle role, as the 30 mm cannon is larger than the 25 mm gun mounted on the M2 Bradley and the Hellfire has greater range than TOW missiles typically used by ground vehicles.
In September 2020, the Army awarded General Dynamics the IM-SHORAD contract worth $1.2 billion, to deliver 144 vehicles over five years. The first order was for 28 vehicles for $230 million. The first four Stryker M-SHORAD vehicles were deployed to Germany in April 2021 as part of the 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment under the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command. A full battalion will be fielded in September 2021.
In 2024, the M-SHORAD air defense vehicle based on the Stryker platform was officially named the Sergeant Stout after the only Air Defense Artillery Soldier to receive the Medal of Honor, Mitchell W. Stout.
The Army began an effort to put a laser on an M-SHORAD vehicle during 2019. A combat shoot-off of laser-equipped Strykers facing realistic scenarios was conducted in July 2021, after which Raytheon was awarded a contract to supply a platoon of four vehicles each equipped with a 50 kW laser to defend against Group 1-3 UAS and rocket, artillery, and mortar (RAM) threats. The first two Directed Energy Maneuver-SHORAD Strykers were delivered in early 2023 for training with soldiers. A second platoon is planned to be ordered later in 2023, with the program to transfer to a program of record in 2025 and a competition to open up to produce the DE M-SHORAD capability. Four DE M-SHORAD Strykers were deployed to the Middle East in February 2024 for real-world testing.
The Stryker is based on the LAV III light armored vehicle, which was based on the LAV-25 series.
The vehicle comes in several variants with a common engine, transmission, hydraulics, wheels, tires, differentials and transfer case. The M1130 command vehicle and M1133 medical evacuation vehicle have an air conditioning unit mounted on the back. The medical vehicle has a higher-capacity generator. A recent upgrade program provided a field retrofit kit to add air conditioning units to all variants. Production started in 2005 on the Mobile Gun System, mounting an overhead General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) 105 mm automatic gun called the M1128 mobile gun system.
For its powerpack the Stryker uses a Caterpillar diesel engine common in U.S. Army medium-lift trucks, eliminating additional training for maintenance crews and allowing the use of common parts. Because of obsolescence concerns, the Caterpillar 3126 engine was recently replaced by a Caterpillar C7 engine and the Allison 3200SP transmission.
Pneumatic or hydraulic systems drive almost all of the vehicle's mechanical features. For example, a pneumatic system switches between 8×4 and 8×8 drive.
Designers strove to ease the maintainer's job, equipping most cables, hoses, and mechanical systems with quick-disconnecting mechanisms. The engine and transmission can be removed and reinstalled in approximately two hours, allowing repairs to the turbocharger and many other components to be done outside the vehicle.
Extensive computer support helps soldiers fight the enemy while reducing friendly fire incidents. Each vehicle can track friendly vehicles in the field as well as detected enemies. The driver and the vehicle commander, who also serves as the gunner, have periscopes that allow them to see outside the vehicle without exposing themselves to outside dangers. The vehicle commander has access to a day-night thermal imaging camera which allows the vehicle commander to see what the driver sees. The vehicle commander has an almost 360-degree field of vision. The Stryker vehicle is equipped with advanced camera systems to enhance driver visibility in various conditions. The AN/VAS–5 Driver’s Vision Enhancer (DVE), a compact thermal camera with a high-resolution infrared sensor, provides a 50-degree field of view for effective navigation in low-visibility environments such as fog, smoke, and dust. On the M1296 Infantry Carrier Vehicle Dragoon (ICV-D), this system has been replaced by the DVE-Wide, which provides a 107-degree horizontal field of view. The DVE-Wide cameras are mounted around the hull, collectively enabling a full 360-degree view for the crew, significantly improving situational awareness. Both systems feature image stabilization to counteract shock and vibration, while their ruggedized displays ensure reliability in demanding tactical environments. The U.S. Army is also working to integrate the DVE-Wide cameras on the Stryker with the Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS) to give the crew and dismounts a 360-degree view around the vehicle with all doors and hatches closed. Soldiers can practice training with the vehicles from computer training modules inside the vehicle.
General Dynamics Land Systems is developing a new Power and Data Management Architecture to handle computer upgrades.
The Stryker's thermal sights can see out to 7,800 ft (2,400 m; 1.48 mi), compared to 330 ft (100 m) for night vision sights used by dismounted soldiers. This capability allows the vehicle to warn dismounted soldiers of threats which lie beyond the range of their night vision sights.
The Stryker's hull is constructed from high-hardness steel which offers a basic level of protection against 14.5 mm rounds on the frontal arc. It has all-around protection against 7.62 mm ball ammunition. Strykers are equipped with bolt-on ceramic armor which offers all-around protection against 14.5 mm armor-piercing ammunition, and artillery fragments from 155 mm rounds.
Problems were encountered with the initial batch of ceramic armor when it was found that a number of panels failed in tests against 14.5 mm ammunition. Army officials determined that this was due to changes in the composition and size of the panels introduced by their manufacturer, IBD Deisenroth. A stopgap solution of adding another 3 mm of steel armor was introduced until a permanent solution could be found. The issue was resolved in 2003 when DEW Engineering was selected as the new, exclusive supplier for the ceramic armor.
In addition to the integral ceramic armor, optional packages have been developed. These include slat armor and Stryker reactive armor tiles (SRAT) for protection against rocket propelled grenades and other projectiles, the hull protection kit (HPK), armored skirts for additional protection against improvised explosive devices, and a ballistic shield to protect the commander's hatch.
The Army began sending reactive armor tiles to Strykers in Iraq in 2004, as well as tiles for Abrams tanks and Bradley Fighting Vehicles. Tiles have to be specifically crafted for each vehicle type they are fitted to. Insurgents attempted to counter reactive armor by having teams fire multiple RPGs at once, but at close range these groups could be engaged and broken up. Reactive armor can be defeated by tandem-charge weapons like the RPG-29 or by explosively formed penetrators, although the Bradley's tiles can withstand EFPs. In 2005, slat armor for the Stryker vehicles was designed and developed by the Army Research Laboratory and the Aberdeen Test Center in Maryland to further protect them from RPGs.
The cage is placed 50 cm ahead around the vehicle to provide adequate protection. The slat armor on the Stryker vehicles is effective against HEAT rounds. In May 2009, General Dynamics and Rafael won a contract to provide SRAT tiles to replace slat armor on Strykers. The additional weight of the two systems is comparable, but reactive armor tiles offer greater vehicle stability and maneuverability and "assured" rather than "statistical" protection.
The Stryker incorporates an automatic fire-extinguishing system with sensors in the engine and troop compartments that activate one or more halon fire bottles, which can also be activated by the driver, externally mounted fuel tanks, and a CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear) Warfare system which will keep the crew compartment airtight and positively pressurized.
Reports from military personnel and analysts state that the Stryker's is better able to survive IEDs than other light military vehicles.
In spring 2016, a Stryker regiment deployed to Europe with the Saab mobile camouflage system (MCS), which both changes its physical appearance to better blend into the environment and incorporates properties that improve signature management against long-wave and mid-wave thermal sensors, near-wave and short-wave infrared, and radar. Further tests will influence the Army to decide whether to pursue acquiring the camouflage system through a Program of Record.
In 2016, Artis LLC's Iron Curtain active protection system was selected for integration onto the Stryker as an interim system, until the Army develops the Modular Active Protection System (MAPS). Iron Curtain differs from other APS by defeating projectiles just inches away from the vehicle, rather than intercepting them several meters out. In August 2018 the Army decided not to continue qualifying Iron Curtain onto the Stryker due to maturity issues with the system.
With the exception of some specialized variants, the primary armament of the Stryker is a Protector M151 Remote Weapon Station with 12.7 mm (.50 in) M2 machine gun, 7.62 mm M240B machine gun, or 40 mm Mk 19 grenade launcher. The choice of armament was driven by many factors. The US Army wanted a vehicle that could rapidly transport and protect infantry to and around battlefields.
In September 2017, Raytheon fired Stinger missiles it had integrated into a Stryker-mounted Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station (CROWS) to intercept airborne targets in a demonstration, turning the vehicle into a short-range air defense system. By early 2024, the Army had deployed three battalions of Stinger-equipped Strykers.
In August 2018, 86 Strykers began fielding with a CROWS turret adapted to be able to fit a FGM-148 Javelin tube, allowing the vehicle to fire the weapon instead of needing dismounted troops to use it.
While the Stryker MGS gives medium brigades heavy firepower, the baseline infantry carrier vehicle has a light armament. Stryker program officials pursued mounting a 30 mm cannon to the ICV's remote weapons station. With the number of MGS vehicles per brigade being reduced, individual ICVs are to be upgunned. The cannon will give greater firepower without needing to add a turret. The plan was to purchase and test a company set of 30 mm cannons and determine if they should be issued for every Stryker or have one per company.
The Army planned to test stabilized 30 mm cannons in early 2014, including Kongsberg Protech Systems' Medium Caliber Remote Weapons Station (RWS). Kongsberg, which makes the Stryker's M151 RWS joined with Stryker manufacturer, General Dynamics for the MCRWS in 2008. The MCRWS is not a true turret, which would extend into the crew compartment and take up space. It can be loaded from inside the vehicle, but does eliminate one of the four roof hatches.
The autocannon is fed by two magazines holding armor piercing and high explosive ammunition. Each carries 78 rounds. Another 264 rounds are stored in the hull. Test firings of a 30 mm cannon in the Kongsberg MCRWS occurred on a Stryker demonstrator vehicle in February 2014. The cannon showed increased lethality and accuracy over the standard 0.50 in (12.7 mm) machine gun, at ranges of 600 to 1,550 meters (660 to 1,700 yd). Four rounds in five-round bursts hit the targets.
After comparative testing of the Kongsberg MCRWS mounted to Stryker vehicles, the U.S. Army approved in April 2015 the equipping of 81 of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment's Strykers with 30 mm cannons after the unit requested the upgrade. Reviews of the effectiveness of these new turrets in Stryker companies informed decisions regarding the upgrade of more Strykers across the nine Stryker Brigades. The remote turret requires a modification of the hull roof, and adds two tons of weight with an upgraded suspension and wider tires. Outfitting the first Strykers with Mk44 Bushmaster II cannons was planned to occur during the next two years, it was stated in 2015.
The cannon, which can engage light armored vehicles out to 3,000 meters (1.9 mi). is able to fire airburst rounds that explode above a target to hit enemy troops behind barriers and can defend against unmanned aerial vehicles. The Kongsberg turret and Orbital ATK XM813 variant of the Mk44 Bushmaster were officially selected in December 2015. Kongsberg later renamed the turret system the RT40 (Remote Turret). The first upgraded Stryker, designated XM1296 "Dragoon", was delivered for testing in October 2016, with fielding to begin in May 2018. The first Infantry Carrier Vehicle – Dragoon (ICVD) was delivered to the 2CR in Germany in December 2017.
In April 2019, the Army decided to add cannon armament to Stryker DVH ICVVA1 vehicles in three brigades. The first is planned to be equipped in 2022. In June 2021, the Army chose Oshkosh Defense to supply its Medium Caliber Weapon System (MCWS). The previous GDLS/Kongsberg team which supplied turrets to the 2nd Cavalry Regiment competed in the full-and-open competition but was not chosen to deliver more. The June contract award is worth up to $942 million over six years. As of the award date, the Army had approved plans to outfit three brigades with 83 Medium Caliber Weapon Systems (MCWSs) each. The contract covers up to six brigades worth of vehicles if the service decides that is how it wants to proceed.
The initial order calls for 91 vehicles for approximately US$130 million. The Army will provide the Oshkosh-led team with the vehicles and the XM813 cannon for integration. In August 2021, Oshkosh received an additional US$99 million to cover the modification of 83 further vehicles, bringing the total number of vehicles under contract to 174. The Oshkosh team provides a turret based on Rafael's Samson family of turrets but customized for the Army.
On September 26, 2024, a $78.5 million production contract was awarded to Northrop Grumman Defense Systems for the XM1182 High Explosive Airburst with Tracer (HEAB-T), designed for the ICVVA1-30mm Stryker. Developed for the XM813 weapon system, the XM1182 achieved Milestone B in March 2020 and Milestone C in 2023, following an aggressive development timeline. This advanced round features multi-mode functionality, including airburst (AB) to engage personnel in open or defilade positions, point detonate (PD) to defeat unarmored vehicles, point detonate delay (PDD) to penetrate urban structures or vehicles before detonation, and self-destruct (SD) to reduce unexploded ordnance hazards. Additionally, the XM1182 HEAB-T includes an advanced warhead with increased fragmentation, providing a larger lethal footprint and improved penetration of urban structures. Complementing the XM1182, the XM1170 Armor Piercing Fin Stabilized Discarding Sabot with Tracer (APFSDS-T) enhances the Stryker's capabilities with improved armor penetration at extended ranges, utilizing a depleted uranium (DU) penetrator in place of the previous Tungsten-Nickel-Cobalt penetrator. Both rounds are vital upgrades for the U.S. Army’s Stryker Brigade Combat Teams.
One of the key objectives outlined as part of the Army transformation plan was the ability to deploy a brigade anywhere in the world within 96 hours, a division in 120 hours, and five divisions within 30 days. Operational mobility requirements dictated that the vehicle be transportable by C-130 aircraft and that it would be able to roll-off manned and ready to fight.
The Stryker's suitability for C-130 transport has led to criticism that the aircraft's range may not meet the 1,000-mile goal. The aircraft's range depends on variables such as the C-130 variant and conditions at the departure airport. In a demonstration conducted in April 2003, a Stryker infantry company with 21 Stryker vehicles was transported by C-130s to another airport 70 miles away. This proved that the vehicle can be transported by C-130, but did not address the concerns regarding range and airport departure conditions. When equipped with slat armor the Stryker is too large to fit on a C-130, but RPG protection was not a requirement for C-130 transport. The Airbus A400M Atlas was being tested for compatibility with the Stryker in Autumn 2015.
The Stryker is too heavy, 19–26 tons, depending on variant and add-on features, to be lifted by existing helicopters.
In August 2004, testing was conducted to determine if the Stryker MGS could be airdropped. This testing started with a series of 12-foot drop tests, followed by the US Air Force successfully airdropping an up-weighted Stryker Engineering Support Vehicle from a C-17. Even though this test was a success, none of the Stryker variants have been certified for airdrop. As of 2013 work continues in this area with the capability assumed for the Unified Quest war game.
The Stryker can alter the pressure in all eight tires to suit terrain conditions: highway, cross-country, mud/sand/snow, and emergency. The system warns the driver if the vehicle exceeds the recommended speed for its tire pressure, then automatically inflates the tires to the next higher pressure setting. The system can warn the driver of a flat tire. The Stryker is equipped with run-flat tire inserts that also serve as bead-locks, allowing the vehicle to move at reduced speeds for several miles before the tire completely deteriorates.
Some criticism of the Stryker continues a decades-long ongoing debate concerning whether tracked or wheeled vehicles are more effective. Conventional tracks have superior off-road mobility, greater load capacity, can pivot a vehicle in place, and are more resistant to battle damage. Wheeled vehicles are easier to maintain, and have higher road speeds. The US Army chose the Stryker over tracked vehicles due to these advantages.
Rollover is a greater risk with the Stryker relative to other transport vehicles, due to its higher center of gravity. The Stryker's high ground clearance, however, is likely to reduce the damage caused by land mines and IEDs on the vehicle.
While not amphibious, the Stryker has watertight combat hatch seals to allow fording water up to the tops of its wheels.
The unit cost to purchase the initial Stryker ICVs, without add-ons, including the slat armor, was US$3 million in April 2002. By May 2003, the regular production cost per vehicle was US$1.42 million. In February 2012, the cost had risen to US$4.9 million.
In 2013, media reports stated that the Stryker Project Management Office had ordered almost $900 million in unneeded or outdated parts due to a failure to control its inventory during the War on Terror.
A standard Stryker Brigade typically consists of: 130 Infantry Carrier Vehicles; 9 Anti-Tank Guided Missile Vehicles; 27 Medical Evacuation Vehicles; 12 Engineer Squad Vehicles; 32 Commander's Vehicles; 36 120 mm Mounted Mortar Carriers; 56 Reconnaissance Vehicles; 13 Fire Support Vehicles; three NBC Reconnaissance Vehicles; and 12 105 mm Mobile Gun Systems.
The Stryker family of vehicles fills a role in the United States Army that is neither heavy nor light, but rather an attempt to create a force that can move infantry to the battlefield quickly and in relative security. Brigades that have been converted to the Stryker have primarily been light, or, in the case of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, unarmored Humvee-based cavalry scouts. For these units, the addition of Strykers has increased combat power by providing armor protection, a vehicle-borne weapon system to support each dismounted squad, and the speed and range to conduct missions far from the operating base.
Stryker units seem to be especially effective in urban areas, where vehicles can establish initial security positions near a building and dismount squads on a doorstep.
The Stryker relies on its speed and communications for the majority of its defense against heavy weapon systems. Most Stryker variants are not designed to engage heavily armored units, relying on communication and other units to control threats outside of its classification. One variant is armed with anti-tank missiles.
Brigades equipped with the Stryker are intended to be strategically mobile, i.e., capable of being rapidly deployed over long distances. As such, the Stryker was intentionally designed with a lower level of protection compared to tracked vehicles like the M2 Bradley, but with much lower logistic requirements.
Although the Stryker was designed to be rapidly deployable and not heavily armored, a training exercise in January 2014 demonstrated that in some circumstances, a Stryker brigade with vehicles and infantry using anti-tank missiles could successfully engage a conventional enemy force of tanks, armored vehicles, and helicopters.
Due to their use during the 2003–11 Iraq War, many reports have come back on the Stryker's performance. Soldiers and officers who use Strykers defend them as very effective vehicles. A 2005 Washington Post article states that "commanders, soldiers and mechanics who use the Stryker fleet daily in one of Iraq's most dangerous areas unanimously praised the vehicle. The defects outlined in the report were either wrong or relatively minor and did little to hamper the Stryker's effectiveness."
In the same article, Col. Robert B. Brown, commander of the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), said that the Strykers saved the lives of at least 100 soldiers deployed in northern Iraq. The article states that the bolt-on slat armor is effective ballistic protection, which was the main flaw cited in 2009 by critics. A 2003 GAO report to Congress stated that the added weight of slat armor created a mobility limitation in wet conditions due to shortcomings in the vehicle's suspension.
Reports from military personnel and analysts indicate the Stryker is superior to other light military vehicles of the US Army regarding survivability against IEDs (improvised explosive devices). Soldiers have anecdotally referred to Strykers as "Kevlar Coffins".
The non-partisan Project on Government Oversight received unexpectedly positive reviews when it spoke to soldiers who served in Strykers: "The Stryker's fantastic. It has incredible mobility, incredible speed..." "We've been hit by 84 suicide VBIEDs... the greater majority of soldiers walk away without even a scratch. It's absolutely amazing. If I were in any other type vehicle, I would've had huge problems," said Colonel Robert Brown, commander of the 1st Brigade of the 25th Infantry Division.
Maj. Doug Baker, executive officer of the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment in 3/2 said, "When you rolled out the gate, you were fairly confident that the vehicle was going to take care of you… I'm familiar with what a Bradley can do. It's a fantastic vehicle, but I would take a Stryker over it in Iraq any day." Crew members of the Stryker Mobile Gun System attest to its "seamless" ability to fill the high-mobility niche between main battle tank and armored personnel carrier.
As of 2005, the Stryker vehicle logged more than 27 million combat miles, with operational readiness rates greater than 96 percent.
The Stryker chassis modular design supports a wide range of variants. The main chassis is the infantry carrier vehicle (ICV). The Stryker vehicles have the following variants:
In response to poor performance against Improvised explosive devices (IEDs), the Army began manufacturing and retrofitting Stryker vehicles with a more survivable double V-hull designed underside. Seven Stryker versions are being produced in this configuration: the M1256 ICVV, M1252 MCVV, M1255CVV, M1251 FSVV, M1257 ESVV, M1254 MEVV and M1253 ATVV. Three variants are no longer in service: the M1127 reconnaissance vehicle is to be replaced by a scout variant of the ICVV (called the ICVV-S), the M1128 mobile gun system and the M1135 NBC reconnaissance vehicle have been removed.
The Double V-Hull A1 (DVH A1) is a modernized upgrade of the original Stryker Double V-Hull (DVH) variants, addressing key performance and capability needs. It replaces the 350-horsepower engine of the original DVH with a more powerful 450-horsepower Caterpillar C9 engine, significantly enhancing mobility and reducing engine strain during demanding operations. The electrical system has been upgraded to an air-cooled 910-amp alternator, supporting advanced electronics and future system integrations. Payload capacity has increased from 55,000 to 63,000 pounds, enabling greater versatility in carrying equipment and personnel. Enhanced situational awareness displays for both the driver and commander improve operational coordination and decision-making. The Stryker DVH-A1 vehicles have the following variants: