Stryker, LAV, and MRAP: Light Armored Vehicles Compared

Light armored vehicles occupy a crucial middle ground between unprotected trucks and heavy tanks. They provide infantry with protection and firepower while maintaining strategic mobility that heavy armor lacks. The Stryker, LAV, and MRAP families represent different approaches to this balance.

LAV-25: The Pioneer

The Light Armored Vehicle-25 entered Marine Corps service in 1983, providing eight-wheeled armored mobility with a 25mm chain gun. The LAV can be transported by C-130 aircraft, swim across water obstacles, and maintain speeds over 60 mph on roads.

The LAV’s combination of firepower and mobility made it ideal for reconnaissance and security missions. Variants include anti-tank, command, logistics, and recovery versions built on the common chassis. The LAV proved its worth in Desert Storm, where LAV units screened advancing forces and engaged Iraqi formations.

Stryker: Infantry Transformation

The Stryker family emerged from Army efforts to create rapidly deployable medium-weight forces. Based on the Canadian LAV III, the Stryker carries nine infantry soldiers plus crew in a vehicle transportable by C-130 (barely).

The Infantry Carrier Vehicle is the baseline variant, with specialized versions including the Mobile Gun System (105mm cannon), reconnaissance vehicle, mortar carrier, command vehicle, and medical evacuation variant. Stryker Brigade Combat Teams combine these variants for combined arms capability without heavy tanks.

Strykers served extensively in Iraq, where their speed and reliability proved valuable. The vehicles received various armor upgrades including slat armor against RPGs and add-on packages against IEDs.

MRAP: Protection Priority

MRAPs took a fundamentally different approach, prioritizing IED protection above all else. V-shaped hulls, raised crew compartments, and heavy armor created vehicles weighing 40,000+ pounds—triple the Stryker’s weight.

This protection came at the cost of mobility and transportability. MRAPs couldn’t be airlifted easily, damaged roads with their weight, and had limited off-road capability. But they saved countless lives in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Lessons and Trade-offs

Each vehicle family offers different trade-offs. LAVs maximize mobility and deployability. Strykers balance protection, firepower, and deployability. MRAPs prioritize crew protection above all else.

The choice depends on mission requirements. Expeditionary operations favor lighter vehicles. High-threat environments demand MRAP-level protection. Sustained combined arms operations benefit from Stryker’s balanced capabilities. Modern forces need access to all three approaches.