When the soldiers are interviewed about STRYKER, they praise it. Who knows what they really say. If they don't mix up the model of STRYKER when going' into Indian country, I hate to rely on a bunch of machines with just .50's mounted on top. The South African military has some good armored vehicles.

The truth is that the Stryker may be transportable by C-130 but it does not arrive ready to fight as the vehicle must be partly disassembled for transport. Also 1/2" armor does not make for much protection. Small arms fire above 7.62mm will quickly do severe damage to the vehicle, to say nothing of what it does to the soldiers inside. Additionally, they don't have rubber tires.

No round less than 12.7mm has ever penetrated the inner hull of the Stryker (in my experience and in my research). It is rated for up to 14.5mm, but I saw a 7.62mm make it through the outer hull once, so I don't believe that. I been through multiple IED attacks to include 5x 152mm arty shells tied together, and the vehicle still managed to roll in on 8 flat tires. It was back out the next morning. It is a great platform meant to transport many troops quickly while giving them some decent mounted support.

The stryker has a couple of positive features. It's good during the night raids when you need to get into places quietly. But during the day for normal presence patrols it is not something that I would want to be seen in or be around. The fact of the matter is that the armor leaves little or no protection to anyone that is in it or around it.

What the Stryker needs is updated Lighting! The old style Composite Lamps have a signature that no matter how camouflaged the vehicle gets, the lamps stick out like a sore thumb! Also, there is barely enough light to see when driving in Tactical Mode with its existing Blackout Drive Lamps! There is a newer LED version that is put out by a company that is field proven in Theater and is an added safety product for no additional cost - providing the Soldier / marine the necessary light output to drive in Blackout Mode.

Someone brought up a good point about the armament. Why just the remote 50cal. or 40mm? The initial concept testing in Fort Lewis was done on the original version, the Canadian Army Kodiak, with a 25mm chain gun. So why not, turret on the Stryker? It sure could sure use a 25mm in Iraq and Afghanistan! They are not the end all as far as armor goes. The Canadians in Afghanistan have their MBT, the Leopard to back up their LAV's there. The armor is good, but it is a LIGHT Assault Vehicle!

Besides the 105mm MG, "THE ANTI-ARMOR MISSLE," the mortar indeed the vehicle, what other protection [offensive] will it be able to provide the dismounts during an assault, firefight and so forth? How bout a 7.62 cal mini-gun mounted up top? That would probably make it easy to try and shoot the gun from inside with out having to open some little hole so you can shoot someone.