Meeting the challenge, the US Army amps up the Stryker with more weapons, including missiles and a laser to protect from battlefield threats. The army sees the need for infantry units to be adequately protected from getting the mission done.
A changing battlefield needs weapons systems to be modified to take on ever-changing threats that can affect the survivability of these systems.
The armored personnel carrier (APC) has several upgrades to protect troops better against drones, helicopters, and other aircraft. Combine with the speed of maneuvering infantry, which promises to be a flexible combat system on the ground, noted Warriormaven.
Built to fight!
With these hard-hitting upgrades, a Stryker fighting vehicle is now more lethal enough to take on enemy ground and air forces. Armed with Hellfire missiles, Stinger Missiles, and fifty-kilowatt lasers that take care of drone threats, reported the Nationalist Interest.
New and improved mobile infantry vehicles are the army's fast-moving Short Range Air Defense (M-SHORAD) program to add air defense. The program will finally integrate this capability to allow fast armor to protect itself while on the move.
Daryl Youngman, deputy director for the Army's air and missile defense cross-functional team for Army Futures Command, said that the SHORAD program is going well as it progresses in development.
It has achieved operation with the fast APC having guns, missiles, and capable sensors installed to find, track, and fire aerial targets. Per Military Today, the Stryker fast APC armed with the Hellfire and Stinger to shoot down an enemy plane or aerial targets.
Another technology to mount is a high-powered laser or directed energy weapon that will allow the vehicle to defend or fight. The vehicle has been tested with the fifty-kilowatt laser, an achievement in having a powerful mobile laser.
One advantage of the directed energy weapon is that a shot is cheaper than firing a shell, which is also precise and less explosive. It is the weapon of choice when dealing with an enemy drone because it will not have much collateral damage from destroying it.
It also limits the explosives and solid fragmentation parts of armed drones that will cause damage to civilians.
The last significant change is the replacement for the Stinger missile that will be detachable by the soldiers on the Stryker. Minimal improvements are needed in the sensors, aiming, calculating, and fire control systems to control the weapons better.
Other details about modernization
Youngman added that the fast APCs are getting the upgrades accordingly. The army will equip about four battalions with these M-SHORAD Strykers; not having it on other weapon systems will be far from possible if there is a need for more air defense SHORAD fast armor.
Support for M-SHORAD is in the Army's integrated support plan will include innovation and production, with all that is needed to get the project done, as its significance to the army grows.
According to Gen. Edward Daly, the commander of US Army Materiel Command, the vehicle-mounted launchers are getting refurbished for the use of M-SHORAD other than Stryker and in developing this capability to get it going eventually for the platform.
