U.S. Army’s Top Armored Vehicle Rolls into South Korea’s Defense Arsenal

In August 2003, the U.S. military brought a Stryker squad from the 3rd Brigade of the 2nd Infantry Division to Korea for the first time. They came with the wheeled armored vehicle “Stryker” to participate in one of the three joint U.S.-South Korea exercises, “Ulchi Freedom Guardian” (UFG). Notably, Korea was the first overseas training ground for the Stryker units.

The Stryker armored vehicle is part of the “Stryker Brigade Combat Team,” established as part of the initiative to transform the U.S. military’s global garrisons into a rapid response force, including one in Korea. The establishment of the U.S. Army’s rapid deployment brigade was pushed forward as part of the army reform program of the Clinton administration in late 1999. In line with this, the Stryker units are one of the future combat systems pursued by the U.S. Army, aiming for a “lighter and easier to deploy force.”

The purpose is to respond as early as possible and swiftly deploy troops to the combat zone based on the intensity of the conflict. In this process, the first deployed Stryker units will block enemy attacks until the rear forces arrive, securing runways or bases for the following troops to land on.

U.S. to deploy brigade-level anywhere in the world within 96 hours

The U.S. Army aims to deploy a brigade-sized force anywhere in the world within 96 hours in case of emergency, a division-sized force within 120 hours, and five divisions within 30 days. The Strykers, 8-wheeled armored vehicles produced by the U.S. military supplier General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS), always accompany the troop deployment.

The U.S. military operates over 20 types of Strykers developed for various purposes, including infantry transport, reconnaissance, medical support, and engineering. Some of them are equipped with 105mm rifled guns or 30mm machine guns to perform the role of light tanks.

The Stryker Combat Brigade of the U.S. Army to be stationed in Korea has been replaced recently. The 3rd Infantry Battalion of the U.S. Army’s 3rd Armored Division arrived in Korea on January 31. The Stryker armored vehicles in this unit were unloaded the day before, on the 30th. They will replace the 2-4 Combat Team (SBTC) of the 2nd Stryker Brigade, previously deployed for a rotation, and carry out their mission in Korea for about nine months. The official handover ceremony between the two units is scheduled for the end of February.

The U.S. Army is known to have a total of nine Stryker brigades. In order to be deployed quickly, they mainly use wheeled Stryker armored vehicles, which have better mobility than tanks and heavy-armored vehicles. In fact, a Stryker Brigade has about 4,500 troops and over 300 Stryker armored vehicles, but it does not have any heavy-armored weapons like the M1 tanks or the M2 armored vehicles. A Stryker Brigade comprises three maneuver battalions, one reconnaissance infantry battalion, one artillery battalion, one brigade support battalion, and one brigade maintenance battalion.

The Stryker armored vehicle is a wheeled armored vehicle version of the U.S. Army derived from the Canadian Army’s armored vehicle, “LAV III Piranha.” Its nickname is “Iron Camel.” The official name is “Stryker Interim Armored Vehicle” (IAV). The interim designation was meant to serve as a replacement until the introduction of the Future Combat Systems Manned Ground Vehicles (FCSMGV), part of the Future Combat Systems (FCS), was completed.

“Stryker”: 6,000 units produced and operated in over 10 countries

Of course, the U.S. Army has many “tracked M2 Bradleys” and “transport trucks.” However, as warfare has shifted from large-scale regular warfare to low-intensity conflicts overseas, there has been a need for lightweight armored vehicles that can be easily transported by large transport aircraft and can always move along with infantry. This is the biggest reason for the development of the Stryker armored vehicle.

About 6,000 units have been produced since 2002. The per-unit price of the Stryker armored vehicle is known to be about 5 million dollars. Operating countries include the United States, Canada, Saudi Arabia, New Zealand, Colombia, Peru, Thailand, Ukraine, etc.

It was named Stryker, not Striker, because it was named after the U.S. Army sergeant and private, Stuart S. Stryker and Robert F. Stryker, who were killed on the European front of World War II and the Vietnam War, respectively. Both were awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously.

The Stryker armored vehicles are equipped with the latest equipment. Thanks to several network devices connected to satellites and other networks installed in the internal situation room, all Stryker armored vehicles are connected to one another through the networks, sharing real-time battlefield information and enabling effective joint operations. Inside the armored vehicles, drivers can use the internet and even Facebook.

Night operations are also possible. Vector Viper has the latest satellite telescope, which supports the precision bombing of fighter jets by connecting targets captured by the telescope lens directly to the satellite.

Mainly, it has the ability to capture clear images even in places where visibility is obscured by smoke or dust thanks to its advanced image processing capability and can transmit vivid images to the command center in the operational area and even to the mainland U.S. It also has excellent firepower and can be equipped with 12.7mm machine guns, 7.62mm machine guns, MK19 40mm grenade launchers, M6 smoke grenade launchers, etc.

The Mighty Striker Armored Vehicle: Endurance and Adaptability on the Battlefield

The Striker armored vehicle is earning accolades for its versatility and firepower, boasting features like a 120mm mortar, the infrared-guided anti-tank missile “FGM-148 Javelin,” and the remote-controlled unmanned turret, the “M151 RWS Protect,” all tailored to its operational objectives.

With a top speed of 97 km/h on roads and 64 km/h off-road, the Striker can cover 500 kilometers without refueling. Its minimum ground clearance stands at 533 mm, with the ability to overcome obstacles up to 610 mm tall and ford water up to 1980 mm deep. Its armor offers protection against 14.5mm rounds from the front and 7.62mm rounds from all directions. Accommodating 2 to 4 crew members and 9 armed infantry, it can also reach up to 100 km/h speeds.

In addition, with a fuel capacity of 200 liters, it can run for 5 hours without rest. Its eight-wheel drive ensures it can keep rolling even if it suffers a puncture, showcasing the Striker’s formidable strength. Thanks to these capabilities, units operating the Striker are considered a cornerstone of the military reforms pursued by the United States, providing crucial support to ensure the fastest possible military response to conflict zones worldwide.

The Striker Brigade is seen by the U.S. military as a force optimized for the Korean terrain and the needs of the South Korean military, enhancing combat effectiveness through rapid deployment. To this end, the Striker Brigade continuously evolves its structure and equipment, integrating cutting-edge technologies.

The U.S. Army states, “The Striker Brigade, led by Korea, is an infantry-centric unit of over 4,500 personnel, providing commanders with speed, efficiency, enhanced mobility, and strategic flexibility.”

However, some assessments point out the limitations for Striker units due to decreased armor protection against North Korean advancements in armored vehicles, upgraded anti-tank missiles, and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs).

Striker Brigade Faces Challenges Against North Korean Armored Units

Additionally, there are concerns that ground operations would largely fall to the South Korean military in the event of a full-scale conflict on the Korean Peninsula due to the deployment pattern of the Striker Brigade.

In this regard, former U.S. Forces Korea Commander Burwell Bell recently stated in a New Year’s message to the Korea-U.S. Alliance Foundation, “2024 could pose the most serious threat to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula since North Korea’s sinking of the ROKS Cheonan in 2010,” emphasizing the need for the U.S. to reinforce Striker Brigades stationed in Korea by deploying additional tank battalions.

Military experts caution that overlooking the discomforting truth that the U.S. military focuses predominantly on maritime and aerial support during joint U.S.-ROK exercises would be a mistake. They emphasize South Korea’s need to strengthen its independent ground operations concept and capabilities, as the Striker Brigade may find it challenging to engage North Korean armored units directly in a hypothetical Korean Peninsula conflict.