I never advocated something as heavy as the steel encased deppleted uranium armour on the M1A2. And It's not neccessary for the armor to cover the whole vehicle, just the driver compartment.
Ok, that's a good idea, but it won't remove the need for convoy escorts. Nor will it stop IED's or small arms fire from disabling the truck.
Truck convoy without escorts won't survive any better with additional armor than without it. If you add armor so that the vehicle can take hits from heavy infantry weapons without being destroyed, the vehicle becomes too heavy and expensive to be useful.
How much armor protection is enough? M1A2's side armor can't stop all RPG rounds used in Iraq. Do you have any idea how much extra weight additional armor creates? Or how much it costs to add additonal armor layers to every military vehicle? Maybe somebody should add a 120mm cannon on 5 ton trucks in case they are ambushed by enemy tanks?
5 ton trucks are supposed to be protected by other units, not to be some kind of independent battle fortresses. For troop carrying needs in combat zone there are armored APCs.
Basic armor protection is necessary for actual combat vehicles, but within reason. Stryker is an excellent vehicle (although there are better foreign alternatives) in modern warfare. Speed and troop carrying capability are its strengths and make it harder to destroy. 20 tons or more of extra armor makes it just an easier target.
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Ok, that's a good idea, but it won't remove the need for convoy escorts. Nor will it stop IED's or small arms fire from disabling the truck. Truck convoy without escorts won't survive any better with additional armor than without it. If you add armor so that the vehicle can take hits from heavy infantry weapons without being destroyed, the vehicle becomes too heavy and expensive to be useful.
Good armor protection = lots of weight
5 ton trucks are supposed to be protected by other units, not to be some kind of independent battle fortresses. For troop carrying needs in combat zone there are armored APCs.
Basic armor protection is necessary for actual combat vehicles, but within reason. Stryker is an excellent vehicle (although there are better foreign alternatives) in modern warfare. Speed and troop carrying capability are its strengths and make it harder to destroy. 20 tons or more of extra armor makes it just an easier target.