[.cnI redruM]

That's two additional countries that want Stryker. Maybe they can improve it some or at least avoid being politically pressured into buying w/o modification.

[lshoultz]

Israel may be the proper country to use them. Since they don't have to fly them anywhere the heavy weight of the Stryker would not be a problem. Also, without the requirement to deploy by C-130s, the Israelis can bolt on the applique armor that their Raphael works makes so nicely.

In addition, since Israel maintans a fire support network of artillery bases to cover all of its territory the Stryker's lack of a main gun will not be a problem.

Also, since the Israelis are buying them for $1.3 million per car less than we are, they can take the chance on being able to fix them properly once they get them.

The only remaining problem I see for them are those big, rubber wheels. RPGs are a problem throughout the Middle East. Since the Stryker uses its front four wheels for steering they cannot be covered by RPG skirts. The Russian experience in Chechnya was that the big problem they faced in urban warfare was the Muslims using Molotov Cocktails and setting the rubber wheels on fire. Russia has now withdrawn all of its wheeled APCs and replaced them with their newer tracked vehicles.

That's a hoot - we'll buying wheeled armor because the Russians had it in Kosovo and they are geting rid of it because they lost so much of it in Afghanistan and Chechnya.

[archy]

That's two additional countries that want Stryker. Maybe they can improve it some or at least avoid being politically pressured into buying w/o modification.

New Zealand's third-generation LAV III is also very similar, though they've opted to both retain the amphibious capability and mount a 25mm gun turret, so it's not quite a Stryker endorsement. But they expect to replace their M113 fleet with their new vehicles if they work out, though they're retaining them until the new ones are proven capable and effective, reasonably hedging their bet.

The Kiwi version is pretty similar to the Canadian LAV-III's now in use by IFOR/KFOR/SFOR in the former Yugoslavia. But they've got some specialized variants planned worth watching as well.