It’s not a tank, and it’s not
designed for massive explosions.
Soldiers and civilians with Operational Test Command
tested the mobile gun system on Fort Hood during
October and November.
The 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment out of
Fort Wainwright, Alaska, teamed up with OTC to
validate for future combat operations the
capabilities of the 105 mm cannon mounted on the
eight-wheeled Stryker armored vehicle.
“It’s a resource rich test because it’s a smaller
test, exactly the right size test to answer the
critical questions we have,” Col. Jeffrey Holt,
director of Army Evaluation Center’s Close Combat
Evaluation Directorate, said.
Army systems’ testing is a joint
effort of three subordinate commands within Army
Test and Evaluation Command, including Army
Evaluation Center, Developmental Test Command and
OTC.
Their goal is to get the best equipment fielded
quickly to Soldiers in theater.
The question to be answered was whether the MGS can
enhance the Stryker brigade, which will impact
decisions about full-rate production of this system.
OTC test officer Barry Laumand said the system is
designed to penetrate reinforced concrete walls and
destroy bunkers.
Live-fire excursions were carried out to assess the
system, including an air transportability test using
a C-130 aircraft.
Realistic war scenarios were carried out across four
lanes where test players executed attack, destroying
enemy vehicle targets in the zone.