M1128

This page is about the American light tank M1128. For the premium version, see M1128 Wolfpack.

M1128

M60A2

M1128

M60A2

USA

VII Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
9.7	10.3	10.3

Class:

Light tank

Research:260 000

Purchase:710 000

Description

The M1128 is a rank VII American light tank with a battle rating of 9.7 (AB) and 10.3 (RB/SB). It was introduced in Update "New Power".

General info

Survivability and armour

Smoke grenades

Creation of a smoke screen in front of the vehicle

Armourfront / side / back

Hull12 / 12 / 12

Turret12 / 12 / 12

Crew3 people

Visibility167 %

Armour type:

• High-hardness rolled armour - Hull and turret
• MEXAS 2C - Applique armour on hull and lower turret

Armour	Front (Slope angle)	Sides	Rear	Roof
Hull	12.7 mm (70°) + 25.4 mm MEXAS 2C Upper Glacis 12.7 mm (1°-3°) + 25.4 mm MEXAS 2C Middle Plate 12.7 mm (54°) + 25.4 mm MEXAS 2C Lower Glacis	12.7 mm + 25.4 mm MEXAS 2C	12.7 mm + 25.4 mm MEXAS 2C Door 12.7 mm Hull Rear	12.7 mm + 25.4 mm MEXAS 2C
Turret	12.7 mm Upper Part 12.7 mm + 25.4 mm MEXAS 2C Lower Part	12.7 mm Upper Part 12.7 mm + 25.4 mm MEXAS 2C Lower Part	12.7 mm Upper Part 12.7 mm + 25.4 mm MEXAS 2C Lower Part	12.7 mm - 15 mm Upper Part 12.7 mm + 25.4 mm MEXAS 2C Lower Part
Cupolas	12.7 mm	12.7 mm	12.7 mm	12.7 mm

Notes:

• .50 cal machine gun shield has 12.7 mm of armour protection.
• Wheels provide 10 mm of protection.

Additional Armour

Armour	Location
Spaced Armour	Between engine compartment and the crew compartment Between hull front and driver
Slat Armour	All four sides of the hull
Sideskirts	Over the wheels

Notes:

• Sideskirts: 6.35 mm High Hardness Rolled Armour + 6.35 mm High Hardness Rolled Armour + 50 mm Composite Screen
• Spaced Armour: 5 mm Rolled Homogeneous Armour
• Slat Armour: 10 mm

Mobility

 

Controlled suspension

It is possible to adjust the ground clearance or more complex suspension positions

Speedforward / back

AB108 / 14 km/h

RB and SB97 / 13 km/h

Number of gears12 forward

2 back

Weight18.7 t

Engine power

AB668 hp

RB and SB350 hp

Power-to-weight ratio

AB35.7 hp/t

RB and SB18.7 hp/t

Game Mode	Max Speed (km/h)		Weight (tons)		Engine power (horsepower)		Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
	Forward	Reverse	Stock	AoA	Stock	Upgraded	Stock	Upgraded
Arcade	108	14	18.7	4.7	542	668	28.98	28.55
Realistic	97	13			310	350	16.58	14.96

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB2 981 → 5 780

RB2 895 → 5 613

SB3 886 → 7 534

Total cost of modifications214 100

354 000

Talisman cost2 800

Crew training200 000

Experts710 000

Aces2 100

Research Aces1 080 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

140 / 170 / 220 %

232 / 232 / 232 %

Modifications

Mobility	Protection	Firepower
Tires Research: 9 100 Cost: 14 000 330 Suspension Research: 10 000 Cost: 16 000 360 Brake System Research: 10 000 Cost: 16 000 360 Filters Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 400 Transmission Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 400 Engine Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 400	Improved Parts Research: 2 700 Cost: 14 000 330 Improved FPE Research: 3 000 Cost: 16 000 360 Crew Replenishment Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 400 Slat armour Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 400 Smoke grenade Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 400	Horizontal Drive Research: 9 100 Cost: 14 000 330 105mm_NATO_APDS_FS_ammo_pack Research: 9 100 Cost: 14 000 330 NVD Research: 9 100 Cost: 14 000 330 Adjustment of Fire Research: 10 000 Cost: 16 000 360 Airstrike Research: 10 000 Cost: 16 000 360 Elevation Mechanism Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 400 Improved optics Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 400 Scout UAV Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 400 Artillery Support Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 400 Laser rangefinder Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 400 105mm_usa_M900_APDS_FS_ammo_pack Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 400

Armaments

Laser rangefinder

Reduces the error and increases the maximum measurable distance of the rangefinder

Night vision device

Improves visibility by enhancing natural light or active illumination.

Thermal imager

Allows to see thermal radiation in the infrared range day and night

Main armament

105 mm M68A1E8 cannon

Two-plane stabilizer

Reduces the swing of the gun in two planes while moving

Autoloader

Automatically feeds projectiles into the breech. The speed does not depend on the skills of the loader

Ammunition18 rounds

First-order8 rounds

Reload7.5 s

Vertical guidance-5° / 15°

105 mm M68A1E8					Turret rotation speed (°/s)					Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode	Capacity	Vertical	Horizontal	Stabilizer	Stock	Upgraded	Full	Expert	Aced	Autoloader
Arcade	18	-5°/+15°	±180°	Two-plane	38.1	52.7	64.0	70.7	75.3	7.50
Realistic					23.8	28.0	34.0	37.6	40.0

Ammunition

Penetration statistics
Ammunition	Type of warhead	Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
		10 m	100 m	500 m	1,000 m	1,500 m	2,000 m
M456A2	HEATFS	400	400	400	400	400	400
M774	APFSDS	372	370	365	358	351	343
M900	APFSDS	522	519	513	504	495	486

Shell details
Ammunition	Type of warhead	Velocity (m/s)	Projectile mass (kg)	Fuse delay (m)	Fuse sensitivity (mm)	Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (kg)	Ricochet
							0%	50%	100%
M456A2	HEATFS	1,174	10.5	0.05	0.1	1.27	65°	72°	77°
M774	APFSDS	1,509	3.4	-	-	-	78°	80°	81°
M900	APFSDS	1,505	3.85	-	-	-	78°	80°	81°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the M1128

Full ammo	1st rack empty	2nd rack empty	Visual discrepancy
18	9 (+9)	1 (+17)	No

Notes:

• Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
• Rack 2 (autoloader magazine) is a first stage ammo rack and totals 8 shells.
• As the M1128 is equipped with an autoloader, manual reloading of the gun is not possible.
• Once the autoloader magazine has been depleted, you can't shoot until the loader has restocked the autoloader with at least one shell.
• The restocking time is longer than the normal reload time of the gun. Take this into account when playing.
• Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from rack 1 into rack 2. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready racks.

Machine guns

12.7 mm M2HB machine gun

Ammunition400 rounds

Belt capacity200 rounds

Reload8.0 s

Fire rate575 shots/min

Vertical guidance-5° / 30°

Horizontal guidance-5° / 70°

7.62 mm M240 machine gun (coaxial)

Ammunition3 400 rounds

Belt capacity200 rounds

Reload8.0 s

Fire rate941 shots/min

12.7 mm M2HB
Mount	Capacity (Belt)	Fire rate	Vertical	Horizontal
Pintle	400 (200)	577	-5°/+30°	-5°/+70°

7.62 mm M240
Mount	Capacity (Belt)	Fire rate	Vertical	Horizontal
Coaxial	3,400 (200)	941	N/A	N/A

Usage in battles

The M1128 is best played as an ambush-sniper. Take full advantage of the vehicle's mobility to get to sniping positions first and avoid open areas when you can. With the M1128's unmanned turret, it is best used at a hull-down position. The M1128 is also vulnerable to the overpressure mechanic and has inconsistent and poor armour which means that you should approach all enemies with caution. When the opportunity presents itself, it is always best to double back or reposition and fight your enemy in a position fight.

Urban combat

The M1128 performs rather poorly in urban combat since it is a large vehicle. Although it has an excellent turret traverse speed, close-quarters fighting is not advised as the tank is vulnerable to all kinds of fire. The M1128's reload rate is decent enough for its BR and is able to dispatch multiple enemies, though the ready-rack of only eight rounds should not be relied on. Therefore, you should avoid close-quarters engagements and try to reposition when possible.

Rural Combat

The M1128 excels in large, open maps. Taking full advantage of its mobility and firepower, it is best to reach advantageous positions early in the game. Using the high-resolution thermal sights, it is easy to spot enemies and quickly neutralize them.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• High resolution thermal gunner and commander optics (3rd generation), as well as low resolution driver thermal optics (1st generation).
• Has access to the M900 high penetration APFSDS round when spaded.
• Autoloader allows a 7.5 second reload no matter the amount of crew members left or their health.
• Can put another shell in the autoloader in only 6 seconds; it is not affected by crew skill.
• High turret traverse speed (40°/sec with an ace crew) allows great reactionary ability.
• Unmanned turret can protect the crew from harm thanks to their location in the hull.
• Can fire smoke grenades three times, four grenades each time (total of 12 smoke grenades).
• .50 calibre machine gun can be used against low-flying aerial targets and lightly armoured ground vehicles.
• Acceleration is good especially without the add-on slat armour

Cons:

• 7.5 second reload is longer than for many vehicles with a 105 mm gun and an expert or ace crew.
• .50 calibre machine gun does not have full 360 degrees of traverse unlike most other pintle-mounted guns
• Can only carry 18 rounds of ammunition, which may not always be enough.
• Thin armour can only protect against machine gun rounds; it is not able to protect against autocannons.
• It has a very large profile, making it an easy target.
• Suffers mildly from overpressure mechanic.
• Can not neutral steer and the off-road mobility is poor because of the wheeled design.
• Add-on slat armour around the vehicle is quite inconsistent with stopping HEAT/HEAT-FS shells.
  • Slat armour also adds 5 tons of weight, reducing the power-to-weight ratio to 14.96 hp/ton; severely impacts acceleration
• Poor gun depression angles

History

Development

Two M1128 Strykers being loaded into C-5 Galaxy aircraft, representing its ability to be transportable by air.

The XM1128 MGS was designed by General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) - Canada to meet the US Army's Mobile Gun System (MGS) requirement, a requirement for an airmobile infantry support platform that could double in the anti-tank role. The first XM1128 prototype was completed in 1999, and after being chosen as the winner of the competition, eight pre-production units began delivery in 2002 after being redesignated as the M1128 Stryker MGS. The M1128 Stryker entered service with the US Army in 2007.

The M1128 Stryker uses the chassis of the GDLS-Canada Stryker - which is based on the LAV-III. The General Dynamics Low-Profile Turret (LPT) is used, which is a modified version of the turret from the Expeditionary Tank. It is designed to be light enough to easily be transported by air. In 2005, after issues with the autoloading mechanism, the autoloader was changed.

Design

The driver sits in the front left part of the hull, next to the engine on the right side. The driver can access his position through a hinged, one piece folding hatch or through the crew compartment. Three M17 day periscopes are located in the driver's hatch; the first one can be replaced by an image intensifier for night operations. A thermal viewer can be fitted in front of the driver as well.

The LPT is located towards the rear of the hull, with the commander sitting on the right and the gunner on the left, rounding off the crew of three. The LPT is significantly lighter than a conventional turret, whilst also presenting a smaller target to the enemy.

The main armament is a 105 mm M68A1E8 gun. It has 360° of traverse and elevation angles of -5° to +15°. The turret uses electrical controls, but manual controls are available for emergency situations. Both the gunner and commander can control the turret and fire the main gun. The main gun has a fire rate of 10 rounds per minute.

The main gun is fed by an automatic loading system, replacing a human loader. The automatic loading system contains eight rounds, and ten more rounds are carried in the hull for a total of 18 rounds of 105 mm ammunition. The autoloading mechanism can be refilled automatically with only six seconds per shell.

The M1128 is capable of firing M900 APFSDS anti-tank rounds, M456A2 HEAT anti-tank and anti-infantry rounds, M394A3 HEP (also known as HESH) rounds for bunker-busting, and M1040 canister rounds for anti-infantry duty.

The gunner has a single piece hatch with three M27 day periscopes. He also has access to a roof-mounted day/thermal sighting system with a laser rangefinder. The commander's one piece hatch has six M27 day periscopes and on production vehicles also has a panoramic viewer with day and thermal capability. As a backup to the main winner's sight, a x7 magnification day sight is provided for both the gunner and commander.

A 7.62 mm machine gun is located coaxially to the left of the main gun. Additionally, a 12.7 mm machine gun is available for use by the commander. On pre-production units the .50 cal machine gun was pintle-mounted, but it was mounted on a skate rail on production vehicles. Smoke grenade launchers are mounted on each side of the turret, with the amount and location depending on the model (prototype, pre-production, or production). The production version has two banks of four smoke grenades on the left (gunner's) side and one bank of four on the right (commander's) side, for a total of 12 smoke grenades.

The main gun and coaxial machine gun are fully stabilized, as are the gunner and commander's sights. The General Dynamics fire-control computer is used as the fire-control system (FCS).

The M1128 utilizes welded steel armour, with a layer of ceramic applique armour bolted to the exterior as standard. A small liner is fitted to specific areas of the interior to minimize the damage of a penetration.

An armour package consisting of slat, also known as bar, armour can be fitted. This prematurely detonated rocket propelled grenades, preventing penetration. To further enhance protection, composite screens can be added to protect the wheels.

The powerpack is located in the front of the hull, to the right of the driver. It consists of a Caterpillar 3126A diesel engine - producing 350 horsepower - and an Allison MD 3560 P automatic transmission. The transmission has six forward gears and one reverse gear. The maximum attainable speed is 100 km/h, and it has a range of 530 km.

The M1128 has eight wheels and uses power-assisted steering, with the front two axles being engaged in steering. A central tire pressure regulation system is fitted to allow the adjustment of tire pressure as needed.

The M1128 Stryker MGS is fitted with a heating and air conditioning system, vehicle and external communications system, an automatic fire detection and suppression system, and a GPS. A nuclear, biological, chemical (NBC) protection system is fitted for the crew compartment.

An auxiliary power unit (APU) can be fitted, as can a hydraulic winch for self-recovery or for moving of other vehicles or obstacles.

A M1128 Stryker in Afghanistan fitted with slat armour.

Production and Service

The XM1128 prototype was first built in 1999, and eight pre-production vehicles were built by 2002. The Army originally planned to purchase 204 M1128 Strykers, but only ended up buying 142 in total, due to issues with the turret and autoloader.

In 2013, there were 27 M1128 Strykers assigned to each Stryker Brigade, but the number was then reduced to ten. The M1128 Stryker MGS is - and was always intended to be - used to support the infantry. Despite having anti-tank capability, anti-tank operations are a secondary role for the Stryker MGS, with infantry support being the primary role.

A platoon of three Stryker MGS is attached to each Stryker infantry company, one MGS supporting each Stryker infantry platoon.

Three M1128 Strykers have been lost to combat in the Middle East.

In 2022, the US Army announced the retirement of the original model of the M1128 Stryker MGS, citing obsolescence of its cannon and autoloader, as well as lack of protection against IEDs and anti-tank mines. Updated and improved variants of the Stryker continue to be operated in its absence.

Devblog

Following the end of the Cold War, leading U.S. Army theorists believed that the armoured branch of the armed forces was no longer suitably equipped to perform future operations, projected to be "low-intensity" operations. As a result, the need for a new vehicle, which would bridge the gap between heavily and lightly armoured units, became increasingly apparent.

To address this, the Army issued a set of requirements for the new vehicle and invited close to a dozen manufacturers to design demonstrator vehicles to be tested in late 1999. Among them, General Dynamics Land Systems' LAV III-105 was eventually proclaimed the winner of the competition in November 2000. Shortly after, the LAV III-105 received the name 'Stryker' and plans were made to manufacture over 2,100 units.

In 2002, the XM-M1128 MGS was built, however technical difficulties and deficiencies in the design caused delays to the start of its production. By 2005, low rate production of the vehicle was approved, while new shortcomings in the design were found. Eventually, the vehicle received a significant redesign of certain elements in 2008, being later approved for full production in 2014.

During its early production phase, several Stryker MGS vehicles were sent overseas for combat trials in the Middle East of which 3 would be lost. At present, over 140 M1128 Stryker MGS' have been built and actively serve with the U.S. Army.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the M1128 from live.warthunder.com.

Images

• M1128 Stryker MGS Devblog Images
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Videos

The Shooting Range #385 - Pages of History section at 03:30 discusses the M1128.

Unmanned Turret Tanks: Showcasing New Tech discusses the M1128 at 03:47 - War Thunder Official Channel

Best wheeled tanks discusses the M1128 at 02:37 - War Thunder Official Channel

See also

Other MCV/MGS's

• Rooikat (Family)
• Centauro (Family)
• Radkampfwagen 90
• Type 16
• AMX-10RC
• ZLT11

External links

• [Devblog] M1128 Stryker MGS

General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS)
MBTs	IPM1 Abrams · M1A1 · M1A1 HC · M1A2 Abrams · M1A2 SEP
Tank destroyers	M1128 Stryker MGS