With the three Stryker ICV kits coming out soon (we all hope), what other variants would folks like to see released? I'm betting we'll see several, and we might as well speak up and voice our preferences!

For me, it would be the FSV and the ESV. I also hope at least one of the kits comes with the CROWS weapons station for the ICV. And here's to hoping somebody surmounts the engineering challenges and can deliver a reasonably priced set of slat armor.

Just in case you are not aware of it, the CROWS is not going to be mounted on the STRYKER. They are using upgrades and improved pieces to make the RWS more acurate with a Laser Range Finder, and in future block upgrades, will be stabilized.

but to answer the original question I think that they should make 2 and 3 in 1 kits. with the ICV you can make the ESV and the CV, with little exterior modifications. With the RV you can make the FSV, even easier now that they have upgraded the sensor for the FSV. The other variants will have to be single kits, since their bodies are unique to themselves, well maybe you could get away with a MCA/MCB, just have a diffrent roof for both.

Ric

I actually think an MEV (Medical Evacuation Vehicle) variant would make a great looking model. The contrast of the Red Cross against the green backround would look cool.

irish

My favourite Stryker is just the plain old ICV! But I really hope some one produces the birdcage and some sort of interior, becuase these would really make it a fantastic model! The MEV would also be very neat.

Ok call me ignorant but what the hell do all those abreviation mean?
Can some provide a link to a variant list.

LAV-III / 25mm Turret

LAV-TUA

I want to see the FSV or Fire Support Vehicle. The one with the 105mm gun in the auto loader turret.

Tom

I believe the MGS (Mobile Gun System) Variant is the one with the 105 mm gun.

Osprey's "Stryker Combat Vehicles" is a great resource. It includes many pictures of the Stryker variants.

irish

Personally, I can wait and see how accurate all these Stryker kits are before wanting more variants produced.

The Accurate Armour PE bar/slat armour set for the Warrior kit is priced on average about $90.00 U.S....expect any PE set for the Stryker slat armour to be around that price too.

I think the M1134 ATGM TOW variant would be logical as producers could just modify the upper hull and add the TOW launcher to produce a vehicle that looks different than the M1126 ICV.

Well, with three companies doing the Stryker one of them ought to do a good job with accuracy. There are some inaccuracies with the Trumpeter master they keep showing. I am not aware of any sprue test shots being shown, so I would think they could fix these issues before producing the kit - if they want to. It seems they used a pre-production truck for their model.

The new Osprey book suffers from this same problem as it relies too heavily on pre-production trucks for illustrations.

I think Dragon can do a great job since they use PE and do not seem too heavy into it yet - thus can rely on newer info.

Bob

ICV Infantry Carrier Vehicle

ESV Engineer Squad Vehicle

FSV Fire Support Vehicle

ATGM Anti Tank Guided Missle Vehicle

MGS Mobile Gun System

MCA Mortar Carrier Alpha variant

MCB Mortar Carrier Bravo variant

RV Reconnasaince Vehicle

NBCRV Nuclear Biological Chemical Reconnasaince Vehicle

CV Command Vehicle

MEV Medical Evacuation Vehicle

Hope this helps
Ric

I would like to see the Mobile Gun System myself since it's "something new" and different. The same applies with the Command and the Ambulance, but most likely being buttoned-up models, the main differences would be the antennae farm and the raised roof.

If I were a kit company, I'd wait on the MGS because there's nothing worse than making a model of a prototype that never saw service. We modern modelers want the production version, not the prototype only shown at Weapons Expos.

The Rangers are getting some Strykers and word is that the ambulance and Command version may be going to Heavy Armored divisions too to replace the M113 variants. Artillery regiments would like the FSV, but I don't think the Army will fund it. So the Stryker may not be specific to the Stryker Brigades after all.

honestly, I'll be happy with just the ICV and resin conversions for the other versions

Thanks for the correction on the CROWS system not being for the Stryker, Ric. Don't know where I got that mistaken impression.

Peter brought up a good point about the MGS--does anyone know if/when it will be fielded?

I thought there were two U.S. Army units that have recently taken receipt of the MGS...4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division and 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry.

I had read that after 4th Brigade is all trained and up to speed on the MGS that crews in Hawaii and Pennsylvania will be trained.

Anyone else have more details?

The CROWS was supposed to be on the Stryker in the future. At least that's what I've read in a defense magazine, but as you know, things change often once war occurs. (I haven't kept up with Stryker article readings since there's no Stryker model and I no longer go to the AFV DGs so Ric may be correct).

See, the problem with the current RWS is that it's not stabilized and the TV camera is B/W only (sees colorblind). The soldiers don't like this when they were testing the Strykers at the NTC. The Army knows these deficiencies, but shrugged off plans to upgrade the RWSs because the Army figured it'll be too darn expensive (which considering how many Strykers there are, and almost all have the RWS, you do the $$$ math for swapping out cameras and adding stabilization. The Army thought such things were "nice to haves" in an already tight budget. And Stryker being dubbed "interim" before the FCS push, the Army figured the current RWS can suffice). The Army also wished the RWS can mount a heavier armament than just MK-19 and M2HB. CROWS is the answer since it has stabilization, color TV camera, and can mount a 25mm light sniper cannon. RWS is also heavier than Light CROWS So the Army just wanted to wait until Light CROWS came along.

But with OEF and OIF draining the funds, not to mention Strykers rotating to Iraq, plans change, I guess. Also, if Light CROWS replaces the RWS, where does the RWS go to, Humvees and M1A2s?

Things do change. The MGS used to have dual-ready drums for autoloading. But some technical glitch or feeding problem lead to the design of a single drum. The single drum eases maintenance and mechanics, but then the crew can't load like sabot in one drum and HEAT in the other drum and select which drum to use. Sabot and HEAT have to be loaded in the single drum and the single drum turned to the proper round.

I guess that's why some people hate modeling modern because things have a way of changing at the drop of a hat (or wallet for that matter).

Some of the 27 MGS' ordered have already been delivered to 1-23 Inf at Ft Lewis and will probably go to Iraq next summer.

Bob

Just a correction here. The MGS's that have been fielded are with the 4th BDE 2ID. None of the units in Hawaii have been fielded yet. 1/23 Infantry is in Iraq right now, but with ATGM's.

On the current RWSI (remote weapons station improved) there is a Laser Range Finder, Color Day Camera, a larger ready box, plus a few other small improvements. The next block upgrade will be the Stabilization system. The only CROWS I've seen must be the CROWS light. It can only mount the MK19, M2, M240, and M249.

Got to remember, this vehicle was not ment to replace the Bradley, the deadliest weapon the STRYKER BDE has are the dismounts in those ICV's, and all 10 variants are there so support them. If you up gun the STRYKER too much then next thing you know commanders will want to start using them as an Offensive weapon that can go in to a major war zone.

Ric

I second that.....suppose Dragon would do a 2 in 1 kit with just these 2 models of the LAVIII for us Canucks????

The MGS would be cool too, even though its all but been cancelled.

Your ignorant

M1126 ICV - Infantry Carrier Vehicle
M1127 RV - Reconnaissance Vehicle
M1128 MGS - Mobile Gun System
M1129 MC - Mortar Carrier
M1130 CV - Commander's Vehicle
M1131 FSV - Fire Support Vehicle
M1132 ESV - Engineer Support Vehicle
M1133 MEV - Medical Evacuation Vehicle
M1134 ATGM - Anti Tank Guided Missile
M1135 NBCRV - NBC Recon Vehicle

The MGS is the only Stryker that has not been fielded yet. It has just recently been put into production. The idea is that with a common chassis, you could build multiple vehicles with specific purposes.

Hope this helps.

Jeff

Isn't Dragon producing the Stryker "SERIES," meaning more than one version? Trumpeter and AFV have the ICV as the version they are producing, maybe Dragon is going to go with a 3-in-1 or produce multiple kits. It sounds like a pretty simple thing to do, at most a few different sprues per variant.

In a perfect world this would be true. I think with today's environment at least for modern/currently in use vehicles this is not so easy. Being that the Stryker is so new, I am not sure it is so easy to get access to them like a WWII museum vehicle. Then there is that ole bugaboo, licensing issue...

Dragon must have something worked out though if they announced the "Family." I think we all learned a lot from the Abrams kit experience, in that there can be fits and starts to producing that well done kit. I sure hope it is as good as the Abrams and other recent kits, meaning lots of options and PE for scale effect.

Bob

Howdy fellas

Even though I am not generally a modern modeler {with a few exceptions of course}, the Stryker has appealed to me ever since I first saw it. Maybe because it looks like just what it is {O.K., don't get mad at me fellas}, a LAV on steriods. Regardless, I'm looking forward to checking out the kit when it becomes available.
As to "variants".....well, since my middle name is secretly 'variant', I'll toss my desires out there......

I have to agree with the Medical Evac version as a 'variant'. I seriously doubt that it will ever happen, but whatthahey!



And secondly, actually it's my first choice, the Engineering version would be dandy as candy!.......But chances of that would be even slimmer than my above prediction
And, since I'm being a tad bit greedy, why not throw in the nifty rig being trailered by the M1132 ESV below......



BTW, what's that rigs designation? {the trailer} And what is it carrying?.......anyone know?

Tread.

That trailer in the bottom one, being an Army rig, is probably carrying snivel gear, wadi chairs, a pizza oven and lots of candy.

Sempre Fi Army pukes.

Actually you are referring to the Air Force, but all the same, you forgot the ice chest full of beer, the cotton candy maker, the case of jerky, and a full electronics sweet of MP3 players and laptops with hi-speed wireless internet.

Jeff