Non-Subscriber Extract
Stryker scores with US tactical vehicle force
- Article Tools
| 25 April 2006 |
By Scott R Gourley
As of early March 2006, General Dynamics Land Systems had delivered over 1,497 Strykers to the US Army with 2,575 vehicles funded.
In addition to three Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT) combat deployments to date, 21 Stryker vehicles are now in test (10 configurations at two test sites) and low-rate initial production has been approved for the final two variants: Nuclear, Biological and Chemical [NBC] Reconnaissance Vehicle (NBC RV); and Mobile Gun System (MGS).
"On the Mobile Gun System programme we currently have a low-rate initial production authorisation for 72 systems," says Colonel Peter Fuller, US Army Project Manager for the SBCTs. "The first 14 are part of a test programme, which will include all of the various required tests to lead to a full-rate production decision for MGS, which is scheduled for July 2007."
About the same time that they are receiving their Stryker MGS systems at Fort Lewis, 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division will be conducting a series of parallel demonstrations marking the next milestone in army transformation. Called 'Land Warrior/Stryker Interoperability', the demonstrations will feature a battalion-sized element of soldiers equipped with Land Warrior ensembles operating from 4/2 Strykers featuring crewmen equipped with initial 'Mounted Warrior' communications and head-up display capabilities.
"The Stryker vehicle has great capability," Col Fuller observes. "But how do you get that on the soldier so they can stay digitally connected while they are off the vehicle? That is the next step to both a Stryker Brigade and an HBCT [Heavy Brigade Combat Team]: How you get better information to the soldier while they are dismounted."
According to Col Fuller, the broader army is also starting to look at the fielding of Stryker vehicles into units outside of the SBCTs.
"And an example is, in the HBCTs, they have an [M93 series] 'Fox' vehicle that provides them with their NBC reconnaissance capabilities," he explains. "In the Stryker brigades, we field three [Stryker-based] NBC RVs. The army has just made a decision that it will start to field [Stryker] NBC RVs to the heavy brigades. Currently I am funded to provide two-each NBC RVs to 30 HBCTs."
353 of 3,664 words