Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Photos From the War Against Jihadists
A U.S. Army soldier with 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team provides security for fellow soldiers preparing to enter a suspected militia leader's home in Jisr Diyala, Iraq, on Oct. 4, 2006. The soldiers are conducting an operation to capture known terrorists by raiding several homes and buildings simultaneously throughout the town of Jisr Diyala in southeast Baghdad, Iraq.
DoD photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Erik A. Wehnes, U.S. Navy.
The LAV III, Stryker (named for 2 unrelated Medal of Honor recipients in WWII and Viet Nam) is a very heavy 8 wheel armored car (the front 4 steer) that holds 9 soldiers. This one has a Browning M2 .50. up top. The armor is thick enough to stop the Russian 12.7 mm. The railings around it is protection against RPGs. The shaped charge on an RPG cuts through armor only if it explodes while in contact. The rails cause the RPG warhead to explode about 18 inches away from the armor where it is useless, but not harmless. The Stryker has a big diesel 'cat' motor and can travel at 62 miles per hour, but I'd hate to go that fast in it.
# posted by Roger Fraley @ 4:47 PM 
