The IFV Gets Wheeled Out

Strategy Page ^ | June 18, 2006

[Cannoneer No. 4]

Wheeled armored vehicles have become the hot item everywhere on the planet, especially in the last five years. The new American Stryker vehicle is just part of the trend. However, the success of the Stryker in Iraq has encouraged more orders for these vehicles, which are faster on roads, and cheaper and easier to maintain. The main manufacturers are Patria (Finnish), Steyr (Austrian, but owned by General Dynamics), Mowag (Austrian [Swiss], also owned by General Dynamics) and the BTR line (an old series of Russian vehicles, currently built by two Russian firms.) There are other manufacturers, but the above firms have most of the business for traditional wheeled armored vehicles. These are 6x6 or 8x8 vehicles weighing from 12-20+ tons. The most serious competition is coming from armored trucks, using design innovations pioneered by South African firms. These armored trucks, best represented by the Cougar vehicle used by the U.S. Army and Marines, are 4x4 vehicles that are about have the weight of the usual wheeled armored vehicles. The armored trucks are also less than half the cost of the wheeled armored vehicles, yet provide similar carrying capacity and protection. This is an end to the Cold War arms race to produce more powerful, and expensive, "infantry fighting vehicles" (IFV). These ran on tracks, like tanks, and had gotten nearly as heavy as the lighter tanks. But these beasts were too expensive, especially when most armies were looking at more peacekeeping in their futures, or some other kind of police work.

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Stryker Clones Displace Tracks in Europe

Stryker Light Sales Soar in Europe

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Stryker Brigade Combat Team Tactical Studies Group (Chairborne)

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Stryker

[Red Badger]

We could use a few of those along the Mexican border...........

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Patria AMV (Armoured Modular Vehicle)

[R. Scott]

We just had a reunion of Viet Nam War transporters – and among the gun trucks and other equipment someone brought a V-100 armored car. I had almost forgotten about them.

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Pandur

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[Red Badger]

Which way is South in that pic?...........

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Iraqi Light Armored Vehicle with Marine Corps Armored Turret System

[TheBattman]

What's all the fence-like stuff around the vehicle for???

[toddlintown]

"What's all the fence-like stuff around the vehicle for???'

RPGs.

[WesternPacific]

What's all the fence-like stuff around the vehicle for???

Slatted armor to repel RPGs.

[JewishRighter]

How does the "fence stuff" help with RPG's? And why RPG's in particular, if other than their prevalence in theater?

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[Fletcher J]

Answer from a non-expert:

That is added in-theater as a defense against RPGs (Rocket Propelled Grenades). The RPGs hit the fence-like structure and detonate prior to actually hitting the armor on the vehicle.

Causing the RPGs to detonate further away from the vehicle greatly reduces their effectiveness against the armor.


Fletcher J

[Cannoneer No. 4]

The Scandanvians had the right idea with a SISU, the basically have a COTS bus engine, transmission and suspension and build an armor frame to make a wheeled APC...which is what the Army really needs and is trying to turn the humvee into.

30 posted on 11/23/2003 10:30:45 AM EST by blanknoone

You were right back then, and they're finally listening to you.