Solution to fill US Army SHORAD mission gap
At this week’s AUSA Global Force Symposium in Huntsville, AL/USA, General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) presents the STRYKER Maneuver SHORAD (Short-Range Air Defense) Launcher (MSL) on a STRYKER 8×8 armoured vehicle. The STRYKER MSL is fitted with a Boeing AVENGER unmanned turret mounted at the rear of the chassis, the original infantrymen compartment replaced by a cargo area. The turret is displayed with AIM-9X SIDEWINDER missiles alongside LONGBOW HELLFIRE missiles.
STRYKER MSL is the Boeing-General Dynamics Land Systems’ platform solution to fill the mission gap in the US Army’s SHORAD portfolio to counter unmanned air systems (UAS), rotary- and fixed wing aircraft and cruise missile threats. The companies’ internal investments fielded STRYKER MSL.
Boeing used its heritage AVENGER air defence system as one technology baseline for MSL, which successfully fired LONGBOW HELLFIRE and HELLFIRE missiles, STINGER, AI3 missiles 2.75in rockets and other weapons.
The industry team is also building upon its rapidly maturing technology prowess in directed energy – having mounted 2kW (kilowatt) and 5kW lasers on a STRYKER. AVENGER is fitted with an organic sensor suite including electro-optical (EO) and infrared sensors with laser range finder and laser designator.
