The US Army has taken delivery of the first Stryker armored fighting vehicles and Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTVs) in Pennsylvania as part of the service’s ground combat fleet modernization program.
The vehicles were accepted by the Horsham-based 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team (Independence Brigade), which is one of the army’s nine Stryker operators and the first Stryker brigade in the reserve component.
Strykers included in this effort consist of new and upgraded “double-V” hulls to deflect enemy mine and explosive impact away from the vehicle, bolstering lethality and personnel security in the field.
Meanwhile, the JLTVs in the package will replace the brigade’s “soft-skin” M1097 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs or Humvees).
In total, a mix of 324 new and upgraded Strykers as well as 300 JLTVs will be delivered to the combat team.
“Combat experience in Afghanistan showed that double-V hull Strykers significantly reduced casualties and injury severity compared to flat-bottom hull models,” Independence Brigade Commander Col. Christopher Costello stated.
“The JLTV combines improved protection, mobility and payload capacity while addressing the limitations of the older Humvee in modern combat environments.”
Training Underway
The US Army stated that the first 25 Strykers will be provided to Fort Indiantown Gap for training before being distributed to their respective units.
Lessons will begin in March and focus on the differences between the Stryker’s modern double-V hull and older flat-bottom hull.
It will also include field-level maintenance training on the double-V systems, further supporting the warfighters’ familiarization with the new fleet.
“The level of training required for the deployments also encourages me that despite the focus on fielding so much equipment, the Soldiers, if called upon, would be ready to support civil authorities and/or conduct their wartime missions,” Costello said.
The Stryker and JLTV Vehicles
The Stryker 8×8 armored fighting vehicle measures 22 feet (7 meters) long, weighs 18 tons (16,474 kilograms), and can carry up to nine personnel.
It is protected with bolt-on ceramic armor that can withstand 14.5×114 millimeter shells and uses a machine gun or grenade launcher as its main armament.
The vehicle is powered by a 350-horsepower Caterpillar engine for a range of 310 miles (499 kilometers) and a speed of 60 miles (97 kilometers) per hour.
Meanwhile, the 21-foot (6-meter) JLTV weighs 11 tons (10,206 kilograms) and can carry up to four personnel.
It is fitted with light armor and offers the integration of machine guns, grenade launchers, and guided missiles.
The JLTV is powered by a Duramax-based Gale Banks Engineering engine with 400 horsepower for a range of 300 miles (483 kilometers) and a speed of 70 miles (113 kilometers) per hour.
