Saturday, April 03, 2004
The Canadian Military has picked up this wonderful piece of technology, though many critics believe that it's a piece of crap, based on some skewed wargamming that was done with it.
Well folks, this machine is not a tank, nor is it designed to go against a tank. It's a very fast, mobile gun platform, designed to give troops a big punch in offense when needed. It faster than a tank, accelerates quicker than a tank, is more fuel efficient than a tank, but carries a cannon that is equivalent to a tank.
From the initial reports coming from the newly deployed Stryker Brigades in Iraq, as described on strategypage.com, it seems to be loved by the troops that are using it.
April 3, 2004: After four months in Iraq, the Stryker brigade up in Mosul lost its first Stryke armored vehicle to an RPG attack on March 28th. Two RPGs were fired at the vehicle and one was not stopped by the Slat Armor. The vehicle caught fire and was destroyed. None of the crew were hurt. Only the driver was aboard, and he got out. The rest of the crew (an infantry squad) were on foot patrol at the time. About half a dozen RPG rounds have previously been fired at the brigades 309 Strykers, only causing minor damage. Two Strykers were damaged when hit by a roadside bomb. Only one soldier was injured. Three Stryker crewmen were killed, back in December, when a Stryker rolled over when part of the dirt embankment underneath it collapsed.
The troops like the Stryker, mainly because it's faster than the M-2 Bradley tracked armored infantry vehicle that many of the troops had used earlier in their careers. The Stryker has a smoother ride and it is quiet. This has proved to be a significant advantage when going on raids, or just patrolling. The road wheels and metal pads of a tracked armored vehicle make a lot more noise. The Iraqis are unnerved by silent Strykers sneaking up on them.
Being a new combat vehicle, the Stryker has come under a lot of criticism. But so far, the troops using it are enthusiastic. That is also largely due to the fact that the Stryker is a new vehicle and has a lot of new stuff in it. The vehicle has a .50 caliber (12.7mm) machine-gun that can be fired from inside the vehicle via an automated mechanism and video cameras on the outside of the vehicle. The driver also has a video camera, which provides the driver with more protection (although a narrower view of what's up ahead) when the vehicle is under fire, or in hazardous country.
The Strykers are also equipped with the new FBCB2 "battlefield Internet." This means each vehicle has a computer, and is linked to all the other via satellite. This gives unit commanders a much better sense of where everyone is, especially at night. This stuff, in a less complete form, was used during the 2003 march on Baghdad, and worked well. The more complete FBCB2 has more bells and whistles and the troops seem to like it.
The Stryker brigade is stationed up north, around Mosul. This city has a large Sunni Arab population, a lot of Saddam loyalists, but not as much violence as there is further south in the "Sunni Triangle." About a dozen Strykers have suffered serious damage so far, including several that were totaled. But casualties have not been high, and the troops still have that rush from being the first kids on the block with a new toy. The Stryker has not failed miserably as some critics predicted, and the Stryker troopers are constantly developing new ways to use vehicle. But a full assessment won't be possible until the Stryker brigade completes its one year tour in the Fall, and an after-action report is written.
The US Army has even added new rpg protection for this system, making it more survivable. And, with commanders allow field modifications to take place to their vehicles, including the Hummer, i'm sure that Stryker will become even more capable in the near future
When the world hands you lemons, shoot them back at the world using a howitzer!
I'm new to Blogging, so forgive any errors that will crop up. I hope to bring my perspective of the world to the general audience. To share my unique view of the world.
My aim is to cover things from Politics, Social problems, Military issues, great recipies; to pretty much rant about anything that crawls through my mind.
So sit back, relax, eat some popcorn and enjoy the ride.
Also, check out The Great Monkey Cause when you get a chance. Hopefully, it'll get updated soon.
Email me!
I'm new to Blogging, so forgive any errors that will crop up. I hope to bring my perspective of the world to the general audience. To share my unique view of the world.
My aim is to cover things from Politics, Social problems, Military issues, great recipies; to pretty much rant about anything that crawls through my mind.
So sit back, relax, eat some popcorn and enjoy the ride.
Also, check out The Great Monkey Cause when you get a chance. Hopefully, it'll get updated soon.
Email me!
