The Army is investing another $243 million in redesigned Stryker vehicles that provide better protection from roadside bombs, the Defense Department announced this week.
That money will buy an additional 115 “double V hull” versions of the armored infantry vehicle on top of the 450 the Army has already ordered from manufacturer General Dynamics.
Together, the two orders would give the Army almost enough redesigned Strykers to field two brigades.
The newer Strykers have extra armor and a slanted hull that deflects some of the impact from buried bombs, resulting in fewer casualties. An Alaska-based Stryker brigade started using them this summer, and it reportedly has not suffered casualties inside a double V hull vehicle.
In 2009-10, Lewis-McChord’s 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division fought in Afghanistan with Stryker vehicles and lost 37 soldiers. Seven were killed in a single explosion under a Stryker in October 2009.
The News Tribune reported in August that Washington lawmakers were impressed with the early results from the field. They had seen reports that showed soldiers walked away from the kinds of significant improvised explosives that resulted in multiple casualties under flat-bottom Strykers.
Since then, the Army Times newspaper has reported that the newer Strykers have been hit by 11 improvised explosives while recording zero casualties inside of the vehicles.
Three of the Army’s seven Stryker brigades are stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. They’ve fought with the original flat-bottom Strykers in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2003.
Lewis-McChord’s 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division is expected to deploy to Afghanistan in December. The Army has not announced whether 3rd Brigade will use the new Strykers.
Adam Ashton: 253-597-8646 adam.ashton@thenewstribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/military
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