Enhancements in store for future Stryker brigades
By Tonya K. Townsell
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Dec. 23, 2003) – Even as the first Stryker Brigade Combat Team experiences its inaugural mission in Iraq, a plan is going forth to enhance future Stryker brigades.
The plan focuses on enhancing the aviation, fire support, computer networks and sensor capabilities of SBCTs 5 and 6, and retrofitting brigades 1 through 4 with newer technology as it becomes available.
Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld approved an Army enhancement plan Dec. 8 that provides for the acquisition of Stryker Brigade Combat Teams 5 and 6.
The approval gives the Army permission to begin spending money for the new brigades' acquisitions and fielding.
The costs for enhancements and retrofitting through fiscal year 2011 will cost about $1.4 billion, Army spokesman Maj. Gary Tallman said.
The enhancements will begin to appear as SBCTs 5 and 6 are fielded, Tallman said. Then SBCTs 1 through 4 will be retrofitted with the improvements based upon the experiences of SBCTs 5 and 6.
However, the current aviation, fire support, computer networks and sensor capabilities of SBCTs 1 through 4 are adequate for present requirements, he said.
The fifth SBCT – the 2d Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Light) at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii – is scheduled for fielding in 2006. And the sixth SBCT – the 56th Brigade (Mechanized), 28th Infantry Division (Mechanized), of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard – is scheduled for fielding beginning in 2008.
The first Stryker brigade, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, from Fort Lewis, Wash., is deployed to Iraq. The second Stryker brigade, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, also from Fort Lewis, is receiving its Stryker vehicles.
SBCT 3, the 172nd Infantry Brigade at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, and SBCT 4, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment at Fort Polk, La., will be fielded over the next few years.
Stryker brigades were designed as an interim phase in the Army’s ongoing transformation. The Stryker Brigade Combat Team is an infantry-centric unit with 3,600 soldiers that can deploy anywhere within 96 hours. Once on the ground, the brigade uses Stryker vehicles, which are 19-ton, eight-wheeled vehicles, to take the soldiers to the fight rested and ready.
The first enhancement will be to the communications networking, Tallman said. The changes will enhance satellite communications by offering high-speed compatibility and interoperability with the joint forces.
Tallman said it is key that the Stryker brigades are able to talk and interact with other U.S. forces.
In addition to communicating more effectively within the military, Soldiers in future SBCTs will have better sensor abilities, lighter howitzers and organic aviation elements, Tallman said.
Sensor capabilities within the Stryker brigade will be enhanced with the inclusion of 10-meter masts on Stryker vehicles. This will allow Soldiers to engage the sensor system from a concealed position for targets identified up to 10 kilometers away, Tallman said.
Future Stryker brigade sensor enhancements focus on sensor-to-shooter capability, which supports the Soldiers’ abilities to see first, understand first and act first, Tallman said. Although Soldiers currently have these capabilities, the next generation will have improved knowledge and abilities. They will also have increased command and control, communications, logistics, target acquisition and intelligence.
Initially, Stryker brigades 1 through 4 will each have 12 M-198 155mm howitzers, Tallman said. But, SBCTs 5 and 6 will be enhanced with 18 of the new lightweight 155mm howitzers.
Currently, Stryker brigades have direct aviation support. The aviation piece within the SBCT will evolve with the implementation of future Stryker brigades. Tallman said that beginning with SBCT 5, aviation elements will be organic.
The RAH-66 Comanches will go to SBCT 5 first, then the Army will use the aviation lessons learned to apply to SBCT 6 and for retrofitting the first four Stryker brigades, he said.
In the mean time, SBCTs 2 through 4 will have similar aviation packages to the one the first Stryker brigade has, which includes OH-58 Kaiwa and UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters that provide direct support, Tallman said.
The timeline for enhancements depends on the availability of the equipment, Tallman said. The earliest any enhancements are scheduled to appear are in SBCT 6 beginning in fiscal year 2005.
Source:
US Army Public Affairs 
