Army to Divest Stryker Mobile Gun Systems by End of FY 2022

The Army has decided to retire the mobile gun systems outfitted on its Stryker armored vehicles by the end of fiscal year 2022 to make way for new systems.

In a recent statement, the service attributed the move to obsolescence and systemic issues with the system’s dated cannon and automatic loader.

The Army explained that the MGS as a whole is considerably outdated as it was never upgraded to withstand threats like improvised explosive devices or anti-tank mines, Defense News reported Thursday. 

The Stryker MGS entered service in the early 2000s and has since been used by assault teams in destroying hardened enemy bunkers, machine guns and snipers in urban environments and open terrains.

According to the Army, the retirement of the system does not pose any impact to the industrial base considering it has been out of production for some time and the majority of its sustainment supply chain is included in other variants of the current Stryker fleet.

Moving forward, the Army intends to upgrade the Stryker vehicle with the Medium Caliber Weapons System, Common Remotely Operated Weapons Station-Javelin, Anti-Tank Guided Missile updates and 30 mm cannons.

The new capabilities have been developed and funded and are ready for deployment, the service said. 

The push for upgrades on the Stryker vehicle aligns with the Army’s modernization priorities, including augmented-reality targeting goggles and new hypersonic missiles. 

Gen. John Murray, commander of the Army Futures Command, said at the annual McAleese defense conference that the service remains committed to pursuing its modernization initiatives amid budget restrictions. 

The AFC chief noted that Army officials had to make almost impossible choices as they consider what needs to be funded.