The 'Piranha Project' - a return to an odyssey.

This will be fun
16 Piranhas, you're totally mad Andy

I thought I'd set the scene with a couple of completed builds.

At the end of the Millennium, the U.S. Army perceived a gap between its light forces, capable of swift deployment but lacking staying power and their heavy forces, which had immense power, but took too long to deploy. To close this gap as well as to experiment with new tactics, General Eric Shinseki, the Army Chief of Staff, began a transformation process that would field medium-weight brigade combat teams at the start of 2003. The Army goal was to make these brigades light enough to deploy anywhere in the world in 4 days. Initially, these brigades would supplement the light and heavy forces and then in the subsequent 20 to 30 years, would change the shape of the entire force making it medium weight, with the ability to deploy by air anywhere in the world.

Subsequent studies concluded that the Stryker Brigades would be unable to deploy by air or sea from bases in the United States to key regions in 4 days. Deployment times ranged from 9 days (Colombia) to 21 days (Afghanistan). The main weakness would be the air-bridge and even if unlimited numbers of aircraft were available, airlift would still be constrained by the condition of receiving airfields in most scenarios. Further planning showed that in some scenarios, the brigades could deploy as rapidly with sealift but still fall well short of the 4-day goal. However, using combinations of airlift and fast sealift to move forces from forward bases or prepositioned sites, forces could reach key regions in 5 to 9 days and most of the globe could be covered in two weeks — a great improvement over historic deployment times for motorized forces.


First one up is this M1126 Stryker IFV which is one of a family of vehicles based on the GM LAV III 8 x 8/Piranha LAV III, equipping the US Army's Stryker Brigade concept.

The Infantry Carrier Vehicle provides protected transport and, during dismounted assault, supporting fire for the infantry squad. The Stryker has full-time four-wheel drive and selectively eight-wheel drive and weighs approximately 19t which carries an infantry squad with their personal equipment. On paved roads the vehicle can attain speeds of 62 miles per hour (100 km/h) without a governor and 35 miles per hour (56 km/h) with a governor.
It has a Protector remote weapon station with a universal soft mount cradle, which can mount either a .50 caliber M2 Browning machine gun, a 40mm MK19 grenade launcher or a 7.62×51mm NATO M240 machine gun. It is also armed with four M6 smoke grenade launcher clusters.

With the increase of cyber and remote capabilities on the battlefield there are a number of upgrades planned to keep the Strykers at the forefront of the Stryker Brigades capabilities until 2040.

Great looking Stryker, Andy!

Thanks Chaps 

One down, many more to come... More shortly!

And I thought I was crazy doing 9 LAV's.... can't wait to see your parade

You don't know the half of it... Wibble!

I've got a few in my pocket Ian   Posted up to ensure the story is comprehensive.

It was an emotional journey that's for sure and I blame the demise of MilMod for me not completing it. No excuses this time round though

Thanks TG