You Vs. Stryker

Foreign nations around the globe have begun to deploy armor against a restive public. Bashar Assad has unleashed armored units against his people in Northern Syria resulting in hundreds of dead and at least one thousand wounded in the cities of Hama, and Deir Al-Zur. His attacks have spread to the cities of Homs, Idib, Ar-Raqqah and Abu Kemal. The population of these cities is estimated to be near 3.5 million.



The disintegration of the fabric of American society is underway as highlighted by the increasing number of incidents of random violence and the decline of the number of police on our streets. Rising unemployment, declining services, rising inflation, declining property values, an increasing number of foreigners who refuse to assimilate into American society and an increasing number of people demanding special rights and privileges coupled with increasingly over-reaching laws and an often draconian response from remaining law enforcement is like a sweating stick of dynamite.

Obama's tenuous grasp in Washington highlighted by the Debt Ceiling charade and his current rating of -19 in Rasmussen polling bode ill for his 2012 aspirations. Obama's desire to portray the strong man in a nation with an increasingly unstable economy, and society coupled with his will to use military force may be the hammer that gets dropped into that case of wet dynamite.

If military forces, our own or foreign peacekeeping troops, are deployed within the United States under the guise of maintaining order; they're not going to be walking around in the streets alone.

They will have support in the form of helicopters and light and medium armor. The average bunch of hunting buddies would be a serious problem for foot soldiers if they were left unsupported. I doubt we would see fixed wing aircraft and heavy armor in use, at least initially.

Hence, we need to start examining the hardware we are most likely face in the field. We need to know its profile, so that it may be recognized. We need to know its strengths and weaknesses so as to be best able to capture or defeat it and its crew.

One of the most popular Light Armored Vehicles (LAV) in use is the Stryker built by General Dynamics Land Systems.

M1126 Infantry Carrier Vehicle
The Stryker comes in a variety of flavors. Each optimized for a specific function as seen below.

Click on the links below to view specifics to each model including on board personnel, mission tasking, weapons systems, and support systems.

A. Infantry Carrier Vehicle M1126

M1126 in Iraq with slat armor in place. Slat armor increases the resistance to RPG rounds at the cost of maneuverability. This may be acceptable in urban or sub-urban settings but would prove to be a mistake in the Pine Barrens.

B. Command Vehicle M1130
C. Mobile Gun System M1128





D. Fire Support Vehicle M1131


E. Medical Evacuation M1133


F. Mortar Carrier M1129




G. Engineer Squad Vehicle M1132


H. Anti-Tank Guided Missile M1134


I. NBC Reconnaissance M1135

J. Reconnaissance Vehicle M1127

See this article for details on access to the vehicle, locations of doors, hatches, ramps.

See this article for construction, implemented upgrades and planned upgrades.

Click above image for more information
Strykers after IED hits.