STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich., July 12 (UPI) -- Stryker combat vehicles will get double V-shaped hulls under a $30 million U.S. Army contract awarded to General Dynamics Land Systems.
The company said in a news release Monday that preliminary testing of the new hull has shown the design increases the level of protection and survivability provided to soldiers against improvised explosive devices.
"Soldiers and Marines attending our warfighter's forum earlier this year said their Stryker vehicles have performed superbly in Iraq and Afghanistan because of their speed, agility, stability and off-road capability," said Gordon Stein, senior director for the General Dynamics Land Systems Stryker program.
"The double-V hull can easily be integrated into all variants of the Stryker."
Deliveries will begin in January to allow vehicles to be available for use by the Stryker brigade that will rotate into Afghanistan next year and will be completed by February 2012, the company said.
General Dynamics employees in Anniston, Ala., and London, Ontario, will produce the vehicles.
The Stryker is an eight-wheeled combat vehicle designed in 10 configurations, including an infantry carrier, a command vehicle and a medical evacuation vehicle. It's equipped with 14.5mm basic armor protection, General Dynamics said.
