Citing earlier discussions on the benefits of commonality, Dopp pointed to the commonality benefits behind the Stryker family, offering, “common chassis; common drive components; all the automotive stuff is common as you go from variant to variant; common test measurement and diagnostic equipment; all spare parts associated with that; common tools; and a lot of maintenance procedures and a lot of the manuals are common as well.”

Eight of the 10 variants are in full production while two – NBCRV and Mobile Gun System (MGS) – are still in low-rate initial production.

“We are going for a full-rate production decision for the NBCRV [in December 2011],” Dopp said. “The MGS is a little bit different twist, because at this point in time we are not going forward into full rate production with that. It was part of Stryker modernization … and we were going to make a lot of improvements to the MGS under Stryker modernization, but we met with the vice [chief of staff] and now there’s a little bit different twist. So at this point in time, we are not going forward with the MGS into full-rate production.”

A successful NBCRV full-rate production decision would lead to production of approximately 168 additional NBCRVs.

In addition to tactical deployment of Strykers, the Army is currently standing up the 8th Stryker Brigade at Fort Bliss, Texas, with the 9th Brigade planned for standup at Fort Hood in FY 13.

Dopp pointed to other recent activity surrounding the new Stryker Double-V Hull (DVH) design, which is being built for seven of the 10 variants (all except NBCRV, MGS, and the Reconnaissance Vehicle variant). The PM credits the DVH with “dramatically better survivability” than the flat-bottom vehicle design.

“We originally got an ADM [Acquisition Decision Memorandum] to build 450 [DVHS] and just within the last couple of weeks, we got an ADM to build 292 additional – that’s all to support operations in theater,” he said.

The first 115 of the additional vehicles was awarded to General Dynamics Land Systems during the first week of October 2011, with the remaining 177 awarded at the end of that month.

As part of a global fielding footprint, the program features Battle Damage and Repair (BDAR) facilities at Anniston Army Depot (ANAD), Ala., and Qatar as well as reset facilities at ANAD, Qatar, and Fort Lewis, Wash.

“In terms of what modernization means for the Stryker program, I think that a year ago we would have been talking about some kind of new vehicle – with automotive improvements, survivability improvements, and a Double-V Hull,” Dopp acknowledged. “We would have been talking about a large scale – possible brand-new – acquisition program.”

He continued, “We had big meetings with the vice [chief of staff], that Col. Sheehy referenced, and what we are doing now is working on ECP modernization approaches and particularly looking at the network at this point in time. And right along with that will be planning our recap[italization] program.

“It wasn’t affordable to do a brand-new Stryker modernization program and something like a GCV at the same time,” he acknowledged. “We’re probably going to be out there for 20 more years, so we have to focus on being relevant and being able to communicate with all of the current force. And that leads to the network; understanding the network and being able to integrate with the Warfighter Information Network [-Tactical, WIN-T], future radios, and future command and control devices. So that’s the focus of our modernization ECP.

“And there’s a whole other dimension to that,” he added. “Do you do it to all vehicles? Do you just do it to the prime power users? Do you do it the same between flat bottoms and Double-Vs?”

Program planners are currently working with the Army’s Capability Portfolio Analysis Tool model to identify the courses of action that will provide greatest utility, with notional fielding of the modernization package envisioned for the “late ’15 to ’16 time frame.”

This article was first published in Defense: Review Edition 2011/2012.