[razorback-bert]

Sounds great for a SWAT team.

[11B3]

When I was stationed at Ft Lewis, we were the test brigade for the "motorized light infantry" concept that is used by the Army today in HMMV units. At the time, it seemed silly. It seemed damned ridiculous when we watched the HQ pukes driving them back from Yakima while we walked back to Ft Lewis.

The Foot Cav is unfortunately the safest (and least comfortable) place to be in combat. Armored vehicles (well, any vehicles) instantly draw all of the incoming fire. I can't recall any dismounted troops ever being engaged by a Sagger, for instance. Even the Abrams was found to have weak spots this time. I can think of very few ways to die that would be more violent than being inside an armored vehicle when it is impacted by a round that pierces the hull, purees the crew, and takes their remains out the exit hole. Like what the Javelin does to a tank. (Shudder.....)

[Hugin]

I always take the critics of weapons systems with a big grain of salt. I remember the same kind of things being said about the M1 Abrams, Bradley, Apache, and just about every weapons system used today.

[upchuck]

Looking "Stryker" up in the dictionary, I find it means "boondogle" and "death trap". Is that bad?

[river rat]

Gen. Eric Shinseki should be given a black beret, and assigned the point Stryker in a reconnaissance / draw fire run through Indian Country....

Semper Fi

[Cannoneer No. 4]

Stryker Brigade Combat Team Bump

[Thorondir]

The Stryker is the brainchild of Gen. Eric Shinseki

Oh, God help us! Nooooooooo! General Shitsacki is Japan's revenge for their defeat by us in WWII. Shitsacki is the three foot tall moron who came up with the black beret's for everyone campaign and the laughably stupid "Army of None" slogan. Sounds like we need to issue every stRyker to the muslim terrorists. That'll do the seventh century savages in, if it's something Shitsacki came up with.

[Lion Den Dan]

To guard against RPGs, slat armor will be added. This is a steel mesh that will extend several inches to a foot beyond the skin of the Stryker (the actual distance is classified).

A picture of a slat armor Stryker in the current Army Times shows a vehicle that looks like a Lobster Trap. The width apears 50% greater than without the slat armor. This surely enhances mobility and the ability to engage from the vehicle.

When an RPG strikes an armored vehicle, the explosive charge in the warhead forms a blowtorch which burns a hole through the vehicle's skin. If the RPG warhead can be detonated before it reaches the skin, its destructive force will be dissipated before it can do serious damage.

This notion is obsolete with the advent of the PG7VR composite warhead fired from the RPG7V launcher. Check Google with "RPG7 composite warhead" and read all about it.

Slat armor will add more than two tons to the weight of each Stryker. Maj. Gary Tallman, an Army spokesman, said this will have no impact on the Stryker's performance. But O'Reilly has his doubts.

When you add 2 tons to any outfit, you feel the weight and mobility performance is impacted. It is called Physics.

[CyberCowboy777]

PING

[RightWhale]

Russian wheeled personnel carriers got to Kosovo in 1999 faster than the Army's Abrams tanks and Bradley fighting vehicles.

In a highly scientific test, no doubt.