Had to happen one day.

Two Army Stryker Infantry Carrier Vehicles drive onto a C-5 Galaxy June 25 at Joint Base Balad, Iraq. The C-5 has a kneeling landing gear system that permits lowering of the parked aircraft so the cargo floor is at truck-bed height or to facilitate vehicle loading and unloading. The C-5 is from Dover Air Force Base, Del. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Julianne Showalter)

Sorry couldn't resist

it might roll on the tarmac with out slat, but it wont go outside the wire without slat. IIRC those are headed to diamondback (mosul) to fill allocations for 4/2

The wingnut photographer has the vehicle nomenclature wrong. That's a Stryker M1128 Mobile Gun System. It may never go outside the wire.

As Gary pointed out, the Stryker are not shipped with slat armor installed. So, a RORO photo is not the right time to make a declaration of "operational" configuration. Rarely does a tactical vehicle ship in its operational configuration.

I can tell you it is DOD policy that Strykers have slat armor installed if it is being used in the tactical environment.

Good photograph though!

Relax guys, I just thought it might be a bit of fun. I've been told off enough to know that "no Strykers in Iraq without slat".
Bill

Cool,
Now that we have the photographic evidence who will be the first to tackle the 1/35 scale C5 so that they can justify the MGS without SLAT.

Tanks
Andy

Imagine the size of that C5 in 1/35th scale, how many Stryker's can it hold?
Bill

I must have had too much coffee and not enough prozac...

I failed to grasp the "spirit" of your original post. Its easy for me to get carried away in this hobby sometimes.

No worries Brent, just a bit of mischief thats all. I should have included a happy face ;o)
Bill

Bill, if you did that, then how are we going to vent and put on our best sarcasm suit. It wouldn't be right...

Really > ??


Keith.

Arnold
Ok no happy faces, got to let everyone vent.
Kieth, nice shot. Now if we can have one in plastic soon, and then the slat.
Bill

Some MGS "In action" videos on Youtube :

http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=48qH64uvx_U

http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=fBHnNSURLEA&NR=1

Frenchy

How many flaws in this video can you see and hear...

Stryker

And watch this Stryker fly...really it does...

Stryker jump

Some pretty good stuff Bill. I'm guessing since the Pennslyvania NG Stryker Brigade was called up, they'll be taking theirs with them.

Also, Bill did you get those PMs, I sent a couple weeks ago?

Jeff

Funny enough, I got to experience the very same thing this past weekend. Yes, the Stryker can fly! I did it in the brigade commander's CV too - and the guys later told me he was none too happy as he was riding by and saw us - oh why oh why did we have to be in HIS truck?! I kept telling the guys later that it was all good since this is good PR for the Army!

I think I have seen video of Abrams and Leopards do this too though.

I'm sure at one point or another, the Army will put wings on the thing, along with JATO rockets and chrome wheels.

Someone correct me if I am wrong but I believe it is DoD policy for units to fall in on equipment already in theater.

Jeff
PM your way. Good to see you here again, school must be out for the summer?
Frenchy, those 105's certainly pack a punch! I did some search around after I saw your contribution and I see the miss fire that occurred in this clip isn't that uncommon. Both of these shots were at very close range, do these vehicles fit into the role as street fighters or are they relegated to targets that are further afield?
Joe so Strykers can fly, pretty funny. I'm happy to see you posting I missed your contributions.
Is there any news on the release date of AFV's MGS effort?
Regards
Bill

Ok, I gotta ask, the shot from the inside of the C-5 looking back at the MGS, is that the TUSK system up on the commanders gun? That looks like a gun shield around that gun station. I will be looking forward to the 1/35 MGS version to come along. I will probably spend the big bucks and add the slat and the all the extra goodies I can find for it too!

Yes, I am hoping the MGS is going through teething problems much like the mortar variant did. The A variant could not fire the mortar from the vehicle and this was naturally a huge complaint, but the Army knew GDLS was getting this fixed with the B variant. They would rather have the lesser A variant than no mortar carrier at all when the Strykers deployed. This being the first deployment with the MGS I would think the Army and General Dynamics would anticipate a bunch of issues to deal with, and there would be a big learning curve. Here's hoping the next deployment of MGS's goes smoother.

The RWS is the same. There were complaints about it from day one because it could not accurately fire on the move. Plans were in place early on that there would be an upgrade to stabalize the RWS.

Still, besides that article mentioned above, there is very little being written about the MGS publicly. Is this good or bad? I don't know. The cynic in me says if they loved it they would be bragging about it. Or is it that there is just not that much to brag about if there are not that many big fights needing 105mm ammo? Who the heck knows. We shall find out in time. For now, at least we will have the opportunity to model this interesting and unique looking vehicle.

Bob

Yep your wrong. my current assignment is training up the 56th SBCT PANG. currently we are training them here is Mississippi for AT. they are putting SLAT armor on as the units leave. later in the year we will hett the strykers with slat to their MRX at fort polk then drive them to beumont to load the ships slat and all.

i think this is correct, sicne we have guys from each rotation here with me it will be straight in the morning.

2003-2004 3/2 SBCT brought strykers (3/2 picked up 1/25 strykers at FLW)
2004-2005 1/25 SBCT fell in on 3/2 strykers and brought them back
2005-2006 172 SBCT brought their strykers and took them back to alaska
2006-2007 3/2 SBCT brought their strykers and brought them back
2007-2008 4/2 SBCT brought their strykers and brought them back
2007- 2/25 SBCT brought their strykers from hawaii and will ship them back to FLW
2007- 2 CR brought their strykers and plan to bring them back to germany
2008- 1/25, 5/2, 56th SBCT will take and bring them back tentatively


Bob,

talking with a MGS platoon sergeant friend of mine said alot of the issues were fixed, that the use of the MGS was limited by the environment the parent unit was in. same thing with the MK-19 being stored in the arms room. it came down to collateral damage. the MGS's in the north are being used quite effectively. btw, should have close to a 150 gigs of pics for you when i get back in a couple weeks.