Stryker Brigade Combat Team
Stryker Brigade Combat Teams (SBCT) are combat units, under the Restructuring of the United States Army, designed for medium-intensity fighting in Stryker-family wheeled armored fighting vehicles. They have more tactical mobility and firepower than the Light Brigade Combat Teams, but also can be carried by medium transport aircraft such as the C-130 Hercules, which the Heavy Brigade Combat Teams cannot.
An operational goal is that an SBCT can be in combat 96 hours after its transport aircraft leave its base.
Command and control
The unit is commanded by a colonel.
All vehicles are fully digitized and part of the Force XXI Battle Command Brigade and Below network providing a common operational picture.
Combat arms units
Standard maneuver forces are three Stryker infantry battalions and one Scout/Cavalry/Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition Squadron. The infantry units have direct support from M1128 mobile gun system (MGS) vehicles armed with 105mm cannon, the original M1 Abrams tank guns before they were upgraded to 120mm.
Fire support comes from a Stryker antitank company using TOW missiles aboard M1134 anti-tank guided missile vehicles, a 120mm mortar unit with M1129 mortar carriers (MC), and a battery armed with the M777 howitzer lightweight 155mm howitzer.
The M1131 fire support vehicles (FSV) in each maneuver company connect to the Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System (AFATDS). The scout unit has extensive target acquisition capability for the indirect fire weapons.
Brigade Special Troops Battalion
Controlling a variety of combat support functions, the Special Troops Battalion includes:
- Combat engineer company with M1132 engineer squad vehicles (ESV) and Interim High-Mobility Engineering Excavators
- Military Intelligence Company
- Signals company
- Headquarters including military police, transportation and medical elements