Have you heard of the M1128 Stryker Mobile Gun Systems or simply called the Stryker?
It is an eight-wheeled armored vehicle built based on the Canadian LAV III armored vehicle.
It was originally well-known as the "Battlefield Wheeled Armored Vehicle of 21st Century,"
and served as the main equipment of the U.S. Army Stryker Light Armored Combat Brigade.
However, in May 2022, The U.S. Army suddenly announced that the M1128 Stryker would be
phased out by the end of fiscal year 2022. So, what makes this vehicle as an undisputed star
weapon in the Stryker family? And why do you think it will be phased out?
Hello, everyone. You are watching a new episode of Military TV. Today,
we will talk about the M1128 Stryker Mobile Gun Systems,
a Stryker wheeled vehicle that was acclaimed for its excellent mobility as well as
precise firepower, and was considered as the deadliest ground vehicle in the urban battle.
Introduced in early 2000s by General Dynamics Land Systems, the M1128 Stryker Mobile Gun Systems
(MGS) is one of ten variants of the Stryker fleet which combines versatility, survivability,
lethality and maneuverability to perform a wide range of missions.
The M1128 Stryker was specially designed for low-intensity combats and takes several of
the most important battle tank missions. Thus, these capabilities of this Stryker enable the
Army to project combat power everywhere on earth within 96 hours, including providing direct fire
support for infantry units. This armored vehicle is also capable of breaching wall and bunker,
allowing it to eliminate enemy vehicles, equipment and protected positions.
The first pre-production deliveries of the M1128 vehicle commenced
in 2002 and it came into service with the U.S. Army in 2007.
Now, let’s take a look at the features of the M1128 Stryker as a standout weapon
among its variants. First, engine.
The M1128 Stryker is powered by Caterpillar 3126 diesel engine, producing 350 horsepower.
Its engine and transmission can be removed and reinstalled in less than an hour,
resulting in the Stryker’s high efficiency in critical situation. Moreover, this vehicle
uses 8x8 armored personnel carrier chassis and can be airlifted in combat-ready condition by
C-130 Hercules and bigger military transport aircraft, such as the C-5A, C-17, and C-141.
This Stryker, however, is not amphibious although it can ford to a depth of 1.7 m,
similar to recent versions of the LAV on which it is originally based.
Second, armor. The Stryker’s armor
is designed to withstand small-arms fire and artillery shell splinters.
A complex composite Kevlar spall liner is also put in place immediately beneath the Stryker bodywork,
providing an additional layer of blast proof protection on the inside. The spall liner
prevents armour-piercing ballistic rounds and any metal “spall” pieces from penetrating the
vehicle’s interior and injuring occupants inside. Furthermore, this M1128 vehicle can be equipped
with add-on composite armor to guard against 14.5 mm rounds, as well as add-on slat armor
to protect against RPG rockets. The Stryker is also installed with NBC protection and automatic
fire suppression systems, making it reliable for detecting the radiant heat from the fire
to automatically activate the system and direct the extinguishing agents into the fire source.
Third, armament. Operated by a crew of three,
including commander, gunner and driver, the M1128 vehicle fires high-explosive,
anti-tank, and canister rounds from a low-profile, completely stabilized turret
built within the Stryker chassis, allowing the vehicle to fire accurately even while moving.
The Stryker unmanned turret is armed with a powerful firepower M68A1E4 105 mm rifled gun as
the main armament. This gun is a modified version of the autoloader fitted tank gun used on the M1
Abrams and M60 series main battle tanks, making the M1128 Stryker the first U.S. Army system
to be fielded with an autoloader. Despite its anti-tank capability as mentioned earlier,
the M1128 Stryker is initially intended to help troops. Unless the tank is attacked from the
flanks or rear, its 105 mm gun provides minimal threat against current main battle tanks. This
is mainly because there are only 18 rounds of the main gun carried by this Stryker, while secondary
armament consists of 400 rounds of 0.50 mm as well as 3,400 rounds of 7.62 mm caliber ammunition.
Given that the M1128 Stryker has those complex features and power,
no wonder that this vehicle has “historically high” mission availability rates.
Since it was first developed in the beginning of 2000s, the M1128 has become
state-of-the-art technology and provided significant capabilities to the U.S. Army.
For over 15 years, this armored vehicle has been used by Stryker brigade combat teams to deliver
direct assistance to the troops by destroying or suppressing hardened enemy bunkers, machine guns,
and sniper positions in urban, confined, and open-rolling terrain.
However, the U.S. Army officials has stated that it is planning to divest
all of its Stryker Mobile Gun Systems by the end of fiscal 2022. The main reason for this is due to
the out-of-date the M1128 cannon and the systemic issues with its automatic loader. This Stryker was
designed with a flat-bottom chassis, and was never updated to deal with improvised explosive devices
or anti-tank weapons. To make it worse, the M1128 vehicle has been out of production for years while
maintaining the autoloader has now become really expensive. Most of the components required to
sustain the M1128 Stryker, on the other hand, are also needed to support other Stryker variants.
Therefore, after examining the system's vulnerabilities of the M1128 Stryker,
the Army officials decided that the service money would be better spent on modernizing other
Stryker family components, such as the Medium Caliber Weapons System, the Common Remotely
Operated Weapons Station-Javelin, the Anti-Tank Guided Missile Updates, and the 30mm cannon.
In addition, until the M1128 is totally retired, the Army will continue to sustain and field other
variants in Stryker family, including the Double V-Hull and vehicles with lethality enhancements.
So, what do you think about this matter? Do you agree on the Army’s plan to retire their
powerful firepower M1128 mobile gun system? Please let us know down the comment below.
That’s all for today. Thank you for watching and see you next time.