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C. Todd Lopez, Army News Service
WASHINGTON - The Army now has authorization to purchase 95 more Stryker nuclear, biological and chemical reconnaissance vehicles, in addition to 10 already in Iraq and several others used for testing and training.
During a press conference Dec. 19 at the Pentagon, Brig. Gen. Thomas W. Spoehr, chief, U.S. Army Chemical Corps, said existing NBCRVs have proven important for Army commanders in the field and that the Army requested and received approval to purchase more of them.
"The Stryker NBCRV represents a powerful tool for commanders to protect U.S. interests from weapons of mass destruction," Brig. Gen. Spoehr said. "And this month, after careful consideration, the Department of Defense gave the authorization for 95 more Stryker NBCRVs."
For now, the NBCRV is in low-rate initial production, but the Army eventually hopes to have as many as 355 NBCRVs.
The Stryker NBCRV is an NBC testing lab on wheels. It is intended as a replacement for the Fox NBC Reconnaissance System and demonstrates improvement in several key areas over the Fox. It also provides improved communication to ground commanders, said Brig. Gen. Spoehr.
"The Stryker NBCRV represents a vast increase in capability over its predecessor, the Fox, in terms of biological sensing, accuracy, speed, lethality, survivability and digital communications -- it is a true leap ahead," he said. "The Stryker NBCRV gives combatant commanders an unmatched capability to sense, mark and warn U.S. forces about weapons of mass destruction threats in near real time."
The NBCRV, as a moving NBC sensor, provides to ground commanders information about where it is safe to move their Soldiers. The vehicle could be used, for instance, to determine the safest route for troop movement or for supplies.
Spc. Christopher A. Case, a chemical operations specialist with the 23rd Chemical Battalion, Fort Lewis, Wash., was on hand at the Pentagon to discuss the capabilities of the NBCRV and to enlighten civilian press about the features of the vehicle. He says he believes the Army was right to ask for more NBCRVs.
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