Thread by @MarkHertling

The next US aid package to Ukraine will be announced Friday.

Reports suggest that package includes a large number of Stryker Fighting Vehicles & more Bradleys.

I'm pretty familiar with the Strykers. This is a terrific. 1/10

washingtonpost.com/national-secur…

In 2000, I was commanding 3/2 Armored Brigade (Arrowhead!), when I received new orders to be prepared to field a new organization with new equipment.

Our Brigade would become the 1st Interim Brigade Combat Team (IBCT), then later the Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT) 2/

While the Abrams tank is named for GEN Creighton Abrams (hero of the Battle of the Bulge), and the Bradley is name after GEN Omar Bradley, the Stryker is named after two Medal of Honor winners - PFC Stuart Stryker (World War II) & SPC4 Robert Stryker (Vietnam) 3/

GEN Shinseki, a personal hero & one of my mentors, drove the fielding (that's him in a suit in this picture).

His idea: have an air deployable unit that generated great battlefield intelligence w/ vehicles that could bring lots of infantryman to the fight..quickly & quietly.4/

Influencing a bunch of tankers to give up their Abrams for a lightly armored "infantry bus" was tough.But they soon learned the power of intel-driven operations.

The Stryker proved their value in combat in Iraq & Afghanistan with even Special Operators wanting these vehicles. 5/

THEY ARE NOT A TANK!

They are lightly armored, and have either a .50 cal machine gun, a grenade launcher, or a 30mm cannon (w a lot of guys in back).

They are quick & quiet.

Our Division had a Brigade of Strykers in Iraq, they performed extremely well. 6/

There is also a Stryker with a 105mm gun (smaller and less powerful than an Abrams or Leopard 120mm).It's good infantry support.

The cannon has had some problems & I'm not sure if the Mobile Gun System (MGS or AGS) will be part of the package to Ukraine. We'll see. 7/

The wheels of the Stryker are better than tracked vehicles for roads;the down side is they get stuck...a lot. They're usually much easier to recover out of mud than a stuck tank.

Soldiers say they are easier to maintain, fix & keep running...& they use much less fuel.8/

The Friday package will likely include more Bradleys, which have more armor, a stronger gun & anti-tank missiles (TOWs).

Ukrainians are training now at Grafenwoehr & Hohenfels, Germany (@7thATC)

See my piece in @BulwarkOnline

thebulwark.com/what-bradley-f… 9/

A combination of these vehicles, HIMARS, M777, & additional T-72 (or other tanks) in the hands of a trained Ukrainian army will make a HUGE difference for offensive operations.

Looking forward to hearing confirmation...and news of what other @nato nations are providing. 10/10