General Dynamics Land Systems awarded contract to upgrade Stryker IAVs with Double V hull bottom.

General Dynamics Land Systems, Sterling Heights, Michigan, has been awarded a $258,631,225 modification (0002 01) to contract W56HZV-17-D-B020 for the upgrade of Stryker flat bottom vehicles to the double V-hull configuration. Work will be performed in Sterling Heights, Michigan, with an estimated completion date of March 31, 2020.

Stryker IAV (Picture source: US Army)

Fiscal 2018 procurement of weapons and tracked combat vehicles funds in the amount of $258,631,225 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity.

The IAV Stryker is a family of 8x8 chassis armored fighting vehicles derived from the wheeled armoured vehicle Canadian LAV III, which in turn was based on the Swiss Mowag Piranha III 8x8, and produced by General Dynamics Land Systems, in use by the United States Army and recently by Iraq. The United States army has chosen the Stryker vehicle to have the ability of deploying a brigade anywhere in the world within 96 hours, a division in 120 hours, and five divisions within 30 days. The Stryker M1126 ICV is the infantry armoured personnel carrier vehicle version. The vehicle carries a combat squad of 9 soldiers.

The new underbody design known as a Double V-Hull (DVH) is based on proven technology similar to that found on the Service's Mine Resistant Ambush Protected, or MRAP, vehicles which deflects blasts away from the vehicle and the soldiers inside. However, the Stryker DVH took the concept a step further by incorporating enhanced armor, a new suspension and blast-attenuating seats. This rapid engineering effort went from conception to production in less than one year and debuted in Afghanistan in early summer 2011.

"While deployed to Operation Enduring Freedom, the Stryker DVH has seen enemy fire and come through with outstanding survivability results. The majority of soldiers involved in those instances have walked away from the vehicles, or returned to duty within a short period of time. Not only has the number of injuries and casualties dropped dramatically, but the severity of those instances has substantially decreased," said Lt. Col. Eric Frutchey, the Product Manager for the Stryker fleet.

While better protecting soldiers is by far the most important development of the DVH effort, the improved operational readiness rates are also an extremely important advancement. "The Stryker DVH's operational readiness rate has measurably improved to an average monthly rate of 99 percent; largely due to the upgraded carrying capacity and robustness of the new 5.5, or 55,000 pound capacity, suspension," said Frutchey. The operational readiness rate is a vital statistic to investigate because it means that 99 percent of the time the Stryker DVH is ready to roll when called upon by Soldiers in the field. This means not only has the DVH cut down on soldier injuries, but that it has done so while being ready for more combat missions.