[Cannoneer No. 4]

They're going to do all right. They will make the Stryker work for them or detach them for convoy escort and kick down doors afoot. Even an M1 can be destroyed by a big enough IED. The more time they spend on that vehicle, the more good ideas for field modifications they will come up with. I wouldn't be surprised if if they are unrecognizable by this time next year. They will probably sprout extra hatches and machine guns and gun shields, might lose the RWS if it gets in the way. Stryker will evolve into a fighting vehicle through the "rock soup" recipe.

[archy]

They're going to do all right. They will make the Stryker work for them or detach them for convoy escort and kick down doors afoot. Even an M1 can be destroyed by a big enough IED. The more time they spend on that vehicle, the more good ideas for field modifications they will come up with. I wouldn't be surprised if if they are unrecognizable by this time next year. They will probably sprout extra hatches and machine guns and gun shields, might lose the RWS if it gets in the way. Stryker will evolve into a fighting vehicle through the "rock soup" recipe.

I sure hope so. One of my very real big fears is that command will order them to ride inside instead on on top in mine country. We learned that lesson the hard way in Vietnam, even with tanks, as did the Russians in Chechnyan mine country.

That's going to be hard on a few of those guys when a Stryker rolls over, whether from a mine of soft sand on a road's edge. But that may be better than losing 13 in one go to a mine, one a week or so.

There'll be a way to tell, immediately obvious from news photos of the things in action, or even at rest with the crews dismounted. We shall see.

[colorado tanker]

I agree. Soldiers can be ingenious in "customizing" equipment.

[archy]

They will probably sprout extra hatches and machine guns and gun shields, might lose the RWS if it gets in the way. Stryker will evolve into a fighting vehicle through the "rock soup" recipe.

My bet: unless the RWS .50 feeding systyem problems are cured, and as recently as a month ago I was e-mailed by a Stryker crewman who says he thinks that's the worst bug in the system, you'll see the .50 or Mk 19 replaced with a pair of 7,62 M240Gs. Or even old M60 MGs, if there's a shortage of MGs for fitting to the vehicles.

One of the nice features of the now-cancelled Military Police 4-wheeled ASV was its ability to use both the .50 and the 40mm Mk 19 at the same time. Or should one jam or run empty, the gunner could flip his gun safe/selector switch, and resume immediately with the other gun. When Stryker's gun goes on strike, that's it.

I hope we see them sprout more grabs and handholds. But I fear that the composite armor may preclude obvious answers of that sort.