Pioneering Army Unit to Debut in Iraq (Stryker brigade)

[Rose Siding]

Pioneering Army Unit to Debut in Iraq

Rounds commands a newly formed Stryker brigade combat team -- the first of its kind, intended as a model for the Army of the future, and scheduled to make its combat debut in Iraq within two months.

"The brigade is ready to go," Rounds said in an interview.

Rounds' unit, formed from the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, has trained intensively this year in anticipation of being certified combat ready by October. It was not until July 23, however, that the soldiers learned they will be going to Iraq as part of a troop rotation plan.

Although President Bush declared on May 1 that major combat was over, military commanders in Iraq have said repeatedly that they still are in a war zone, one in which the tool they prize most -- timely information about the enemy -- is the very one that Rounds' soldiers are equipped to provide.

snip>

The Stryker is a 19-ton, eight-wheeled armored vehicle built in the United States and Canada. It comes in two variants: an infantry carrier and a mobile gun system. The infantry carrier, in turn, has eight configurations, including a reconnaissance vehicle, a mortar carrier and a vehicle for the brigade commander.

http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-stryker-brigade-iraq,0,4101620.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

[pfitz59]

1. Ultimate SUV!

Comes with permanent umbilical attached to its gasoline tanker. Gets about 50 gallons per mile! How's that for fuel economy! Combat brigade designed for (ahem) mobile combat being assigned garrison duty. Trigger-happy medal hounds coming to a neighborhood near you!

[jpak]

2. The Strykers are relatively thin-skinned

and their armor cannot defeat RPG's - small arms ammo, 12.5 mm rounds, shell splinters yes, but they will be vulnerable to RPG and other antitank weapons.

[paper chase guy]

3. this is one thing I was wondering...

also, (just judging merely from appearance) they look quite susceptible to rollovers from "traffic accidents."

They look kinda top heavy.

I guess we'll find out soon.

[Robb]

5. I've read they're actually relatively stable

But the above concerns still hold. Good for getting a single fire team through a mob throwing bricks, but little else. I read 14.5mm ammunition pierces the thing.

C-130 loadmasters have told me it's actually too big for the cargo aircraft it's supposed to fit in. Does do freeway speeds, although apparently not great at off-road. Sort of a weird "too slow for light forces, too light for heavy forces" middle ground asset. $1.3 million seems a little steep, but no one asked me. Hopefully someone thinks it'll help, somewhere....

[Name removed]

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[Johnyawl]

6. Good lord!

I hope that .50 cal is remote operated, If that's manually operated, the gunner would have to be standing almost fully exposed to fire it, or reload it.


John

[FDRLincoln]

7. I don't like this

I don't like the idea of this unit on garrison duty. They should be held in reserve for Korea. Putting them in Iraq is a waste.

Of course, the fact that we are doing so shows how thinly spread we are on the ground right now.

[Rose Siding]

10. "They should be held in reserve for Korea"

Never too soon to plan for our next attack. :eyes:

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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