Inadequate armor protection, poor maneuverability, excess artillery power, and excessive weight – the Pentagon was forced to remove its Stryker armored vehicle early.
American Stryker armored vehicle. (Source: Worldnewsplatform) These wheeled armored vehicles were developed in the early 2000s, but when used in combat for the first time in Iraq, it revealed the design imperfections of the whole series. Limitations The Pentagon has been using the Stryker armored vehicle since 2002, developed on the basis of the Canadian LAV III armored vehicle, a modernized version of the Swiss-made Piranha, designed in the 1970s. The American armored personnel carrier did not differ much from the prototype – the body and general layout remained unchanged. Slightly increased height, reinforced armor protection and adjusted bottom shape. The crew consists of two people, the troop compartment can accommodate 9 soldiers. The 350hp diesel engine allows the front-wheel-drive Stryker to accelerate to 100 km/h on the highway. Fuel enough to operate nearly 500 km. The front armor can withstand the impact of 14mm armor-piercing bullets or 155mm shrapnel. The side shells and rear end well protect against 7.62 mm bullets. Standard armament is a 12.7 or 7.62 mm Browning machine gun. A 40mm automatic grenade launcher can be mounted. Several versions were developed: self-propelled 120 mm mortar, reconnaissance vehicle, command staff vehicle, engineer vehicle and ambulance. There was also a heavily armed version – a 105 mm anti-tank gun, aimed at attacking fortified positions, bunkers, and armored vehicles, but the Pentagon soon decided to remove it. this release, as they identified problems with the gun and the automatic loader. The US military calculated the costs and came to the conclusion that there is no benefit in upgrading self-propelled guns. Replacing the heavy Stryker with the portable Javelin anti-tank system proved much easier. In the early 2000s, the Pentagon ordered more than 2,000 armored vehicles – immediately addressing the shortage of mobile infantry transport. At the same time, build specialized motorized brigades (Stryker brigade combat team, SBCT). Each such unit has about 4.5 thousand soldiers and officers, using 300 wheeled armored vehicles of various versions. From a tactical point of view, the SBCT is located between the highly mobile Humvee mechanized infantry and heavy tank groups. These brigades are thought to be capable of rapidly deploying and effectively dealing with various combat missions anywhere in the world. The transportation of personnel and equipment is carried out by C-130 Hercules transport aircraft. In 2004, the first unit was sent to Iraq. During that year, the Americans studied the tactics of using Stryker brigades in wars. The command then noted the high efficiency of armored vehicle units, especially in urban combat. However, soldiers complained of design flaws, insufficient firepower, and weak armor. Subsequent reporting by a Pentagon special committee almost led to the program’s closure. It turns out that armored vehicles only work well on flat roads and highways – on rough terrain, the car is covered with mud or sand. Motors are often used at high speeds, causing them to fail quickly. The Stryker is significantly heavier than the Canadian and Swiss vehicles. Another serious miscalculation by the designers was armor, which only provided good protection against small arms. In real combat, the enemy prefers to use anti-tank guns. RPG anti-tank bullets easily penetrated the body of the vehicle, so the vehicles had to urgently equip the additional wire mesh. In addition, due to the large center of gravity, vehicles often overturn when hitting obstacles or mines. Furthermore, seat belts did not secure people properly, causing several soldiers to die. Chain of problems Defects are corrected. For example, anti-tank bulletproof nets and suspended steel housings were installed originally from the factory. As a result, mass increases and complications arise during air transport – some modifications that are beyond the carrying capacity of the transport aircraft. The new electronics and night vision goggles don’t make much of a difference either. The Stryker is still a car with a host of unresolved problems. In addition, the modernization required additional funding for the entire program. However, in the US military, there has long been a problem of equipping the army with armored vehicles to meet the requirements of modern warfare. The Pentagon tried several projects, but to no avail. In 2004, American generals carried out a major reorganization of the military. As part of the Future Combat System (FCS) project, they decided to create a line of manned and unmanned versions of armored vehicles. Hundreds of billions of dollars have been spent, the US planned to deploy the first brigade using new vehicles in 2015 and form 15 units by 2030. However, the program was unexpectedly closed. – according to official information, regarding the change in US defense strategy. After that, the Americans launched a promising infantry fighting vehicle project – Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV), which was supposed to surpass the outdated M2 Bradly vehicle in terms of protection, and lighter, more compact and more maneuverable. The resulting GCV turned out to be too expensive for mass production – in 2014 all work was suspended. The US is currently working on another program – the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV), which involves the creation of a crawler infantry fighting vehicle with artificial intelligence and remote control. . The Pentagon now has to transport infantry using the old M113 and M2 Bradly, as well as modernize the Stryker vehicle. Updated version A1 introduced a few years ago: 30mm cannon, reinforced armor, more powerful engine, transmission. A low-altitude anti-aircraft vehicle variant is also offered. But whether this Stryker vehicle will become more suitable for combat than previous versions is still unclear. Actually, the design is still the same. (according to Sputnik)
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