Stryker is an armored combat vehicle. American BTR Stryker

Stryker is a combat armored vehicle manufactured by General Dynamics Land Systems. Has a wheel formula of 8x8 / 4. The model is based on the Canadian BTR LAV III, which, in turn, is a deep upgrade of the Swiss armored personnel carrier Piranha III 8x8. Stryker is in service with the mechanized troops of the US Army and a number of other countries.

Appointment

BTR Stryker is the main armament of the brigade fighting groups of the US Army , formed in the 2000s. It is designed to transport units of motorized infantry (usually a motorized infantry unit) to the battlefield, with the possibility of soldiers firing directly from the machine, further fire support for infantry in the process and after hurrying, as well as for all-round support and support for combat operations of the mechanized units of the US Army.

Models of armored vehicles (BT) of the Stryker family include 10 types of machines of increased security, which are in service with Brigade Combat Groups Stryker. The first copies went into service with the US Army in February 2002, as of April 2013, 4349 BT units of various types were delivered.

History of creation

After a formal victory in the Cold War, the US arsenal turned out to be excessive for confrontation in low-intensity conflicts. On October 12, 1999, General E. Shinseki (who served as Chief of Staff of the US Army) formally announced a long-term plan for the transformation of the country's land forces into the future, taking into account the current and future challenges and threats of the present. The program, which was named The Objective Force, formulated the attempts of the US military to create forces that will be able to respond quickly to crisis situations in any region of the world, timely deploy in operational areas and dominate any conflict.

The program determined the army's adaptation to the doctrine of a flexible and relevant response to situations and required the availability of appropriate advanced weapons. The first phase of the program was the development of an intermediate version of the line of combat vehicles, called the IAV (Interim Armored Vehicle). Armament of America at that time did not have modern BT of this class.

The new line is designed to fill the gap in the capabilities of the ground forces to conduct the so-called "classic" type of wars, using heavy and powerful infantry combat vehicles such as BMP M2 "Bradley", or light and mobile, and at the same time poorly armed and protected equipment like M998 "Hammer" . The main arena of military operations of the model of armored vehicles being created is low-level military conflicts.

Equipping the Army

After the selection of several variants of armored personnel carriers, which were considered as a basis for the subsequent creation of armored combat vehicles of the new family, the Canadian BTR LAV III was taken as a basis. A few months after the start of the tests, in November 2000, the procurement schedule for 2,131 copies of the Stryker BT was approved. The combat armored car entered the rapid reaction brigades.

The first machines were only of two types:

• SAU M1128 (MGS) with a British 105 mm rifled tank gun Royal Ordnance L7, which was installed on the first samples of the American main battle tanks Abrams. These self-propelled guns were assigned the task of contact fire support in the battle of infantry units.
• Infantry armored personnel carrier M1126 Stryker (ICV), which replaced the outdated M113 armored personnel carrier.

Requirements and regulations

The new armament of the United States according to the plan of the generals was to be cheaper and more economical, with a high degree of security and mobility. The undoubted advantage of the "Strikeers" was that the content of one shock brigade BT of this type is 25% less than the content of the brigade group armed with heavier BMP "Bradley".

According to the regulations, the Brigade Combat Team Stryker must be relocated to any place on the planet within 96 hours, the division within 120 hours, and 5 rapid deployment divisions within 30 days. "Stryker" is transported by air by "transporters" C-5 "Heleksi" (4 combat vehicles), C-17 "Globemeister III" (3 units) and C-130 "Hercules" (1 unit), and after BT delivery must be In full combat readiness for further action.

Difficulties of transportation

Since the very beginning of the tests of this combat vehicle, there have been problems with the compliance of the armored personnel carrier with the tactical and technical requirements for which it was calculated. So, the first samples of the BTR Stryker had technical difficulties with the transportation of their C-130 Hercules transport aircraft. Because of the large width of the armored vehicles in the aisles between the rows of seats and equipment, there was no space left. Therefore, on board the aircraft could sit down incomplete composition of the department, which, in turn, created difficulties in the redeployment of troops in certain areas.

In the exercises, in order to place the Stryker on the plane, the crew had to remove two smoke plants, all the antennas, the left rear console, which blocked the vehicle's departure from the aircraft, the combat module on the tower and some other units and parts. As a result, the branch spent a lot of time installing equipment after unloading from the aircraft.

Vulnerabilities

In August 2003, the US Senate received a devastating report about the characteristics that Stryker has. The military armored car was characterized as very unreliable and too expensive. The main emphasis was made on the failure of the efforts of General E. Shinseki on the adoption of the US Army super-effective BTR, which will meet all the challenges of modern conflicts.

The report criticized the high vulnerability of the Stryker family in front of conventional RPGs, which are equipped with militants and terrorists, an excessive size of armored personnel carriers, which did not immediately transfer vehicles with C-130 Hercules aircraft.

The tests revealed low technical characteristics of the undercarriage of all modifications, whether it is a heavier M1128 wheeled tank or a relatively light M1126 armored personnel carrier. Problems arise when moving to high speed and when moving over rough terrain. Also, the "Stryker" has a poor stability - there have been cases of overturning on an ordinary highway.

Comparison with competitors

Critics of the wheeled armored personnel carrier indicate that Stryker in many respects is inferior to the upgraded M113 tracked vehicle on crawler track, and the M1128 (MGS) is worse in all respects than the prospective M8 AGS project. According to military experts, Stryker cars failed 7 of the 9 major exams, compared to the M113A3, and in particular its extended version of MTVL. This firepower, maneuverability outside the roads and in urban conditions, survival, reliability, the ability to transport through the air and the convenience for the crew and landing. Elimination of the identified shortcomings led to a significant increase in the cost of wheeled armored personnel carriers.

Specifications

The Stryker armored personnel carrier for configuration and configuration almost repeats the predecessor - LAV III, but there are a number of differences. First of all, the height of the shell exceeds the prototype by 25-30 cm. This was done for the convenience of locating the ammunition, the crew and the landing force. To protect against mines and landmines, the profile of the bottom had to be altered, which led to an increase in the height of the hull to compensate for the "eaten" V-shaped bottom of a useful volume in the landing compartment. Slightly changed and linear dimensions.

The wheeled BT has a classic layout characteristic for this class of cars: in front right there is a motor-transmission compartment, in front left there is a control unit with a driver's seat. Behind the driver is the commander of the car. The middle compartment and the aft part are assigned to the amphibious compartment, where 9 fully equipped infantrymen are placed. In the roof of the hull for landing the crew are equipped hatches above the corresponding places, the landing is disembarked through the aft doors, emergency hatchways are also provided above the landing compartment.

TTX of the basic model M1126

• The length is 6394 mm.
• The width is 2667 mm.
• The height is 2170 mm.
• The clearance is 500 mm.
• Combat weight is 17.2 tons.
• The speed along the route is 97 km / hour.
• Power reserve (along the road) - 531 km.

Power point

In the engine-transmission compartment is installed diesel Caterpillar 3126, its power is 257 kW (350 hp). This engine is the main for the tactical medium-class tactics in the American army. This gives significant advantages in the repair and maintenance of such equipment in field and combat conditions.

Booking of BTR Stryker

The combat armored vehicle is less vulnerable to small arms fire than the previous M113 armored personnel carriers. The body is welded from armored plates up to 12 millimeters thick. Due to the use of different steel grades, the protection corresponds to the fourth level of the standard STANAG 4569 in the frontal projection, and the second-third to other projections. Additionally, screens can be installed on the "Strikers" along the whole perimeter of the case.

The reservation protects small arms from bullets up to 14.5 mm from the side of the stern and sides, from 30 mm shells to the frontal part of the hull at distances of more than 500 meters (with passive protection), as well as from damage by 152-mm fragmentation shells that exploded beside.

Modifications

• M1126, infantry armored personnel carrier (ICV) - the main armored personnel carrier of the Stryker family, intended for transportation of motorized infantry and fire support.
• Modification M1126 for reconnaissance, security, patrolling, communications, delivery of ammunition, etc.
• M1126 with reinforced bottom DVH-Scout (ICCV-S), intended for conducting military reconnaissance, for which it is equipped with a complex of long-range surveillance.
• M1127 (RV) - combat reconnaissance vehicle, which is designed for reconnaissance, security and surveillance on the battlefield. Equipped with specialized early-warning reconnaissance equipment from Raytheon.
• M1128 (MGS) is a self-propelled artillery mount (wheeled tank) with a 105 mm rifled cannon.
• M1129 (MCV-B) - self-propelled 120-mm mortar with fixed and detachable layout.
• M1130 (CV) - commander of the BT.
• M1131 (FSV) is a fire control machine.
• M1132 (ESV) is an armored engineering vehicle, designed for engineering reconnaissance, transportation and support of sappers.
• M1133 (MEV) - medical BT.
• M1134 ATGM - anti-tank missile system. The machine has an external installation for launching anti-tank guided missiles from the ground.
• M1135 (NBCRV) - is intended for conducting radiation, chemical, bacteriological exploration of the area.

Conclusion

During the Iraqi and Afghan wars, the Stryker BTR proved its usefulness. Soldiers praise the armored personnel carrier for good survivability of the crew and landing force during the blasting on mines, landmines, when firing from small arms and RPGs. They are indispensable in urban conditions. Against this background, certain technical disadvantages of the machine are not critical.