Armor: April 17, 2003

Archives

The U.S. Army's bold program to equip several "medium" (or IBCT) brigades with wheeled, light armored vehicles (the Stryker family of LAVs) is faltering. The LAV's kept growing in size to the point where most models have to be partially disassembled to get into a C-130 tactical transport (a primary requirement.) The tracked M-113, a half century old armored carrier still in wide use, was supposed to be left in the dust of the Stryker. This is not happening. New models of the M-113 keep appears, many of them more mobile, reliable and better protected than the Stryker. Perhaps the worst thing that happened to the Stryker of late is the Iraq war, where it was seen how important protection from RPGs is. To add that extra measure of protection to the Stryker (as it was earlier to the M-2 Bradley) would make the Stryker too heavy for the C-130. For these reasons, the IBCT effort is apparently going to be restricted to 3-4 brigades. The Stryker community is looking anxiously at new developments in add on armor. The stuff, sometimes in the form of a thick fabric, is getting lighter and more effective.

 

X

ad

Help Keep Us From Drying Up

We need your help! Our subscription base has slowly been dwindling.

Each month we count on your contributions. You can support us in the following ways:

  1. Make sure you spread the word about us. Two ways to do that are to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
  2. Subscribe to our daily newsletter. We’ll send the news to your email box, and you don’t have to come to the site unless you want to read columns or see photos.
  3. You can contribute to the health of StrategyPage.
Subscribe   Contribute   Close