FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
#R-03-015 March 27, 2003
ARMY BEGINS CERTIFICATION OF STRYKER BRIGADE COMBAT TEAM
The Army is initiating the evaluation process to certify its first Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT) for operational employment. The SBCT is a medium weight armored vehicle force that the Army began developing in 2000 to fill the current operational gap between its heavy and light forces.
The Army's first Stryker Brigade is the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division SBCT. The brigade has transformed from a heavy mechanized infantry brigade into a rapidly deployable Stryker Brigade at Fort Lewis, Wash., over the last two years.
The certification process, known as the Operational Evaluation (OE), encompasses a series of exercises and evaluations designed to verify the readiness of the brigade itself, and the operational effectiveness and suitability of the SBCT organizational design.
The first event is a brigade field training exercise (FTX) at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif., conducted 1-11 April. During the exercise, the SBCT will be augmented with a heavy element of M1 Abrams tanks and M2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles, and will train against a world-class opposing force in a desert environment under mid-to-high intensity combat conditions.
Following the FTX, the Brigade will deploy to Fort Polk, La. for a Joint Readiness Training Center exercise from 17 - 27 May. This capstone training event will evaluate SBCT's ability to conduct early entry operations and execute a range of military missions in a mid-to-low intensity combat environment, including operations in urban terrain.
Throughout the OE process, the Brigade will validate the ability of the SBCT to deploy strategically by programming rail, sea and air transportation of the Stryker vehicle and SBCT equipment. This deployment exercise includes a planned insertion of combat elements by C130 aircraft.
Upon completion of the Operational Evaluation, the Army will prepare an evaluation report, as required by the 2002 National Defense Authorization Act for procurement of SBCTs. The Secretary of Defense must then certify to Congress that the results of the evaluation indicate the design of the SBCT is operationally effective and suitable before it can be deployed on operational missions.
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For more information, please contact Army Public Affairs Media Relations Division at (703) 697-4314/7591.
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