• India is preparing to conduct trials of US-made Stryker combat vehicles in Ladakh and desert regions.

• The two countries selected the Stryker, an eight-wheel-drive combat vehicle developed by General Dynamics Land Systems, as one of the joint-production technologies to be pursued under the US-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET).

• The US and India plan to co-produce Stryker armoured vehicles in a move designed to boost India’s military capabilities and deter China.

• This increased alignment could not only be a boon for India economically but it can also allow India to reduce dependence on Russian weapons.

• Russia remains the largest supplier of defence hardware, accounting for almost 60 per cent of the weapons used by Indian armed forces.

Stryker armoured infantry combat vehicles (ICVs)

• Type: Eight-wheel-drive combat armoured infantry combat vehicle (ICV).

• Development: Jointly developed by General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) Canada and the General Dynamics Land Systems Division in the United States.

• Historical Significance: First new military vehicle inducted into US Army service since the Abrams tank in the 1980s

Operational Effectiveness

• Quick Response: Capable of rapid response to insurgencies or war-like situations

• Mobility: Moves faster than tanks on paved roads, enabling swift deployment of infantry squads

• Improved Survivability: Better chance of surviving improvised explosive devices (IEDs) compared to other light military vehicles.

Transportation and Deployment

• Air Transport: Can be transported via Chinook helicopters, which are also used by the Indian Air Force

Key Features

• Armament: Equipped with a 30 mm cannon and a 105 mm mobile gun.

• Hull Construction: V-hull made of high-hardness steel with an additional layer of ceramic tile armor for enhanced protection.

• Crew and Capacity: Operated by a two-person crew and can carry a nine-man infantry squad.

Performance:

• Range: 483 kilometers

• Top Speed: Approximately 100 km/h.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants.)