WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Jan. 13, 2005) -- Production of the 1,000th Stryker vehicle was commemorated during a ceremony Jan. 12 at Anniston Army Depot, Ala., 33 months to the day former Army Chief of Staff Eric K. Shinseki signed for the first Stryker there April 12, 2002.

The Stryker program is a good example of "public-private partnerships," said Col. Alexander Raulerson, depot commander. He said the program matched the expertise of government and the private sector to improve the Army.

Anniston assembles two-thirds of the Strykers and the other third are built in London, Ontario, Canada.

Anniston hosts an assembly and test station operated by Stryker partner General Dynamics, said Bob Baker, Anniston plant manger with General Dynamics.

The depot assists the contractor by providing facilities and laboratories for test analyses of materials and paints all the vehicles, said Baker.

Of the 1,000 Strykers built thus far, almost 800 have been fielded, said Col. Peter Fuller, Stryker project manager. Another 1,451 are on order.

Fuller said the 311 Strykers that have been in Iraq for the last 14 months have logged more than four million miles, with an operational availability rate of 97 percent.

Soldiers have praised the Stryker's ability to move to a conflict swiftly, and more importantly, quietly. Sgt. Benjamin Herman, a team leader from Company C, 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, of the current SBCT in Iraq said some Iraqis call SBCT Soldiers "Ghost Riders" and "Ghost Soldiers" because they arrive with little noise or warning.

Wheeled and mobile, the Stryker takes soldiers point to point as safe as a possible and much faster than any other conveyance, said Raulerson, who has observed the Stryker's performance near Balad, Iraq. "It lends itself to missions in Iraq, where rapidly moving forces to points of conflict as quickly as possible is needed," he said.

The Stryker is the first major combat system purchased by the Army since the Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle was acquired in 1988.

The second Stryker Brigade Combat Team rotated to Iraq in November. 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash. operates Strykers brought over by 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, the Army's first Stryker Brigade Combat Team, also from Fort Lewis.

The Stryker has ten variants, eight of which have been built and fielded. The Infantry Carrier and Reconnaissance vehicles add up to more than half of those produced so far, totaling 565.

There have been 36 Anti-Tank Missile Guided Vehicles produced, 53 Fire Support Vehicles, 42 Engineer Squad Vehicles, 129 Mortar Carrier Vehicles, 55 Commander's Vehicles, and 60 Medical Evacuation Vehicles.

Baker said the Mobile Gun System and the Nuclear, Biological and Chemical variant are slated to go into production this summer.

Lt. Gen. Joseph L. Yakovac Jr., military deputy to the assistant secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics & Technology attended the activities this week at Anniston. "The Stryker is an example of the Army's effort to transform itself into a more agile, deployable and lethal force," said Yakovac.