IAV Stryker

The Stryker is a family of eight-wheeled armored fighting vehicles produced by General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada. It is derived from the Canadian LAV III, which itself originated from the Swiss Mowag Piranha. The U.S. Army initiated the program following the 1999 "Objective Force" transformation plan to fill the capability gap between light transport vehicles and heavy armored units. In 2000, a joint venture between General Motors Defense and General Dynamics Land Systems was selected to produce the vehicle. It was formally named the Stryker in February 2002 in honor of two Medal of Honor recipients from World War II and the Vietnam War.

The vehicle utilizes an 8x8 wheeled configuration and a Caterpillar diesel engine. The hull is built from high-hardness steel. Standard protection consists of 14.5mm protection on the frontal arc and all-around 7.62mm protection. Bolt-on ceramic armor increases this to all-around protection against 14.5mm armor-piercing rounds and 155mm artillery fragments. Engineering upgrades include the Double V-Hull (DVH) to increase resistance against improvised explosive devices. For protection against rocket-propelled grenades, the vehicle can be equipped with slat armor or reactive armor tiles.

Primary armament for the infantry carrier variant is a remote weapon station mounting a 12.7mm machine gun, a 7.62mm machine gun, or a 40mm grenade launcher. The M1296 Dragoon variant is equipped with a 30mm Mk44 Bushmaster II autocannon. The Maneuver Short Range Air Defense (M-SHORAD) variant, designated the Sergeant Stout, utilizes Stinger missiles and a 30mm chain gun. Other variants include mortar carriers, anti-tank guided missile vehicles, and medical evacuation vehicles. The M1128 Mobile Gun System, which carried a 105mm cannon, was retired from service in 2022.

The United States operates the vehicle across multiple brigades and conducted the first combat deployment in Iraq in November 2003 with the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division. It was later deployed to Afghanistan beginning in 2009 and used by special operations forces in Syria in 2017. The vehicle has been provided to Ukraine, where it was utilized by the 82nd Air Assault Brigade in Zaporizhzhia Oblast during the 2023 counteroffensive. International operators include Thailand, with additional orders or sales approved for North Macedonia, Bulgaria, and Argentina. The vehicle has maintained operational readiness rates above 96 percent in combat theaters.