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Get out of our own way. We have to overcome obstacles to elevate our performance, unleash our potential and relay knowledge across technical focus areas.
Conduct purposeful engagement with industry
and academia. We must maximize partnering
opportunities to achieve significant technological
breakthroughs during challenging, budget-constrained times.
Purposeful investment in human capital, laboratories, and modeling and simulation proficiency.
The Army is investing in new facilities here, such as
a new Vehicle Characterization Laboratory and the
Vehicle
Electronics
Architecture
Systems
Integration Technology Hangar. Assets like these,
added to our Ground Systems Power and Energy
Laboratory, give us a one-of-a-kind collection of
world-class research and test facilities.
Although we are in the initial stages of development,
our efforts are already bearing fruit. TARDEC is moving forward to develop a worldwide deployable,
operationally mobile, survivable ground vehicle
capability and is prepared to provide solutions to the
challenges set by the Chief of Staff of the Army to
decrease the logistics burden and increase operational effectiveness of ground systems. Additional
value is seen beyond what we can quantify today.
It includes increased communication, increased
efficiencies, leveraged internal capabilities and
purposefully engaged partners.
We dont know what the future has in store for us.
But we have a powerful vision to guide our journey.
Well proceed with the knowledge that the nation
needs the Army to respond anywhere on the globe
with tailorable vehicles that can adjust to emerging
threats and unpredictable environments.
Paul D. Rogers, Ph.D., SES
TARDEC Director
4
16
12
20
12 Combat Ready
PEO Ground Combat Systems moves forward
with vital modernization efforts
Bill Good
30
20 Listening to the Warfighter
A panel of experienced warfighters share
their views on where ground vehicle
development should go from here
28 S
oldier Innovation Workshop
Soldiers, engineers and college design
students create visions of tomorrow
30 W
orking With Energy
The Army and Department of Energy find
mutual technical interests with potential
long-term value
16 Energy Intelligence
Academic partners could improve unmanned
vehicles capacity to complete missions
Dr. Tulga Ersal
EDITORIAL ADVISORS
Dr. Paul Rogers
TARDEC Director
Magid Athnasios
Executive Director
Systems Integration
& Engineering
Jennifer Hitchcock
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
EDITORIAL STAFF
David Thomas
Michael I. Roddin
Dave Taylor
Associate Director
National Automotive Center
Chief of Staff
Derhun Sanders
Executive Director
Research, Technology & Integration
Michael I. Roddin
Research Scientist
University of Michigan
TARDEC Researcher
William Good
Kimberly Cobb
Editorial Support
Ground Vehicle Power and Mobility
34
38
44
34 Wireless Recharging
Engineers study wireless power transfer in
the field, which could increase safety and
ease burdens
40
Editor-in-Chief
Jerry Aliotta
Managing Editor
Dan Desmond
Brian Ferencz
Art Director
Rachel Ferhadson
Project Manager
Matt December
Writer/Editor
42
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42 All-American Bowl
Showcasing Army technologies and capabilities
for students
Amanda Dunford
40 CRADA Celebration
VIP event spotlights impact of research
agreements with partners
Michael I. Roddin
Editor-in-Chief
EXPLORING
FUTURE MOBILITY
Groundbreaking advancements in vehicle mobility play a significant part in
TARDECs 30-Year Strategy. Innovation and forward thinking will play an
essential role in examining how vehicles will maneuver with supreme agility
in the decades to come.
By accelerate Staff
SPINNING OFF
In addition, TARDEC is sponsoring a CCS transportation design
class project to design an Extremely
PRACTICAL MATTERS
The Mobility Demonstrator team
looked into future art-of-the-possible mobility-related sub-system
technologies. Engineers investigated
future technologies such as advanced
suspension systems, wheels-to-tracks
transformation systems, advanced
power packs, novel thermal management systems, next generation power
electronics and advanced energy
storage systems. They looked for
ways to overcome the primary limitation of high-speed travel over the
Next, the team explored what advanced power packs may be needed
to power vehicles in 30 years. We
want our future engines to be much
more power dense and consume less
fuel, explained Blain. To get the
power density we desire, potentially
a completely new engine configuration may be required.
Their objective is effective generation of power, minimizing or eliminating losses through inefficient
devices or waste as heat. Future
mobility will also most likely be
highly electrified for greater control,
efficiencies and capabilities, and require highly efficient transmissions
and novel thermal management systems. The team envisions high-voltage electrification for propulsion,
weapon and defensive systems, but
low voltage inside the crew compartment for safety.
TARDEC is already developing
intelligent control for electrified
BURST OF POWER
The never-ending quest for more electrical power to support troops
and their missions poses significant challenges to ground vehicle
designers. TARDEC engineers are pursuing a solution called
Advanced Propulsion for Onboard Power, which represents a leap
ahead in electric power generation.
By Kimberly Cobb
Opposite page: TARDEC Engineer Kevin Boice (left) works with Engineering Technician Gordy Hopper to prepare the
Advanced Propulsion for Onboard Power system for another round of evaluations in the Motor/Generator Test
Laboratory. (U.S. Army TARDEC photos.)
We will be
developing two different
demonstrators to support
the APOP project. First,
we will integrate the 120
kW architecture into the
Stryker in FY 2015, and
then well move on to the
Bradley in FY 2016, where
well demonstrate the
160 kW capabilities in the
vehicle in 2018.
Kevin Boice
APOP Principal
Investigator
GVPM Advanced
Propulsion Team
To prove the technologys viability, the APOP team will integrate
and test High-Voltage Onboard
Generators on two vehicles the
Stryker and the Bradley Fighting
Vehicle (BFV).
10
To demonstrate APOPs viability, the team plans to integrate and test High-Voltage Onboard Generators on a Stryker test
vehicle. (U.S. Army photo by SFC Alan B. Owens.)
APOP Advantages
Advanced Propulsion for Onboard Power (APOP) system provides Onboard Vehicle
Power. Integration of the APOP system in a vehicle brings the following benefits:
}
Electrical power to supply Current and Future Forces
Provides power for existing C4ISR systems and Soldier equipment
Enables advanced countermeasures, electrified armor and energy weapons
E xports power to grid for contingency basing operations.
}
Optimizes fuel efficiency
Generates power efficiently
Saves fuel while idling
Fully controls vehicle auxiliary loads
Editors Note: TARDEC Electrical Engineer and Principal APOP Project Investigator Kevin Boice, Ground Vehicle Power and
Mobility (GVPM) Advanced Propulsion Team, contributed his insight and expertise to this article.
accelerate | ENHANCED MOBILITY EDITION | tardec.army.mil
11
COMBAT
READY
ARMORED BRIGADE
COMBAT TEAM
ABRAMS AND BRADLEY
ENGINEERING CHANGE
PROPOSALS
Every vehicle is designed to have
space, weight and power (SWaP)
margins for incremental improvements to be made. However, recent
upgrades to the Abrams and Bradley
Fighting Vehicle (BFV) platforms
have sapped this margin and left
little room for future improvements.
To help alleviate these SWaP constraints, the Army has launched
Engineering Change Proposal (ECP)
programs designed to buy back as
much margin as possible by redesigning and modernizing many elements of these platforms.
ECPs modify a system without
changing the essential capability.
That means the Abrams and Bradley
will still maintain their classic
appearance, but under the hood will
be a different matter.
The Abrams ECP program will help
ensure the Army can seamlessly
incorporate other programs of
record (PORs) into the Abrams well
into the future without degrading
operational performance.
The centerpiece of the Abrams ECP
upgrade will be restoring the power
margin through the integration of a
larger generator, improved slip ring,
battery management system and the
new power generation and distribution system. The ECP program is
Tank crew members from the Desert Rogues, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, circle their
M1A2SEP Abrams tank in preparation for their qualification attempt during the Gunnery Table VI event at Fort Stewart,
GA. The Army uses this event to certify that crews are combat ready and proficient at operating and maneuvering their
tank and its weapon systems. (U.S. Army photo by SGT Richard Wrigley.)
13
U.S. Army Soldier from the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, pulls security next to an M2 Bradley
Fighting Vehicle during Decisive Action rotation 13-03, at the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, Calif. (U.S. Army photo
by SGT Eric M. Garland II.)
14
STRYKER BRIGADE
COMBAT TEAM (SBCT)
STRYKER ENGINEERING
CHANGE PROPOSAL
AUTHOR BIO:
Bill Good is a public affairs specialist for Program Executive
Office Ground Combat Systems.
He holds a BAS in Broadcasting
from Siena Heights University
and an MA in Public Relations
and Organizational Communication from Wayne State University.
15
Energy Intelligence
Robot energy intelligence can improve an unmanned vehicles capacity
to complete a mission. An Automotive Research Center team studied
an energy intelligence system that allows a robot to determine its
internal operating state and the external environmental conditions
that could disrupt its travel.
By Dr. Tulga Ersal
16
U-M research
students John
Broderick (left) and
Steve Vozar test
robot capabilities
using an energy
intelligence
program.
PLANNING
To optimize robotic mobility, energy
intelligence must be embedded into
every step from planning through mission execution. If the robot is given a
search mission, such as covering a
given area to search for hazardous
objects, there are many different algorithms that could be utilized to determine how the robot should cover the
area. ARC researchers are the first to
TERRAMECHANICS
Terramechanics is the study of land
locomotion, which is particularly
important with off-road vehicles.
Physical properties of the terrain
especially the strength and deformation of the soil greatly affect a
vehicles mobility. A robots energy
intelligence can be further boosted
by incorporating physics-based
17
ARC researchers
track a robots
velocity, battery
power and battery
temperature to
predict energy
availability.
BATTERY DYNAMICS
18
TRACKING AND
PREDICTION
Although actual mission execution
may differ significantly from M&S
exercises, the simulation predictions
are still useful. In fact, ARC researchers have found a way to fuse prior
knowledge with the data from realtime measurements for a more accurate prediction of whether the robot
has sufficient energy to complete a
mission as planned or if compromises
will be required to complete the task.
Professors Galip Ulsoy and Judy Jin
noted that, We may think we have
enough energy to complete the mission based on real-time data only, but
that may be incorrect, because relying only on the current data is equivalent to assuming that the terrain
conditions are uniform and do not
change. However, combining prior
knowledge with real-time data will
19
LISTENING TO THE
WARFIGHTER
What has the ground vehicle community done right? What can it do better?
A panel of experienced warfighters who now work at TARDEC gave
feedback on those questions and others. You may be surprised at what
they say about the Humvee, parrot drones and the Battle of the Bulge.
20
Over the last several years, what weve done is trade mobility for
survivability weve got to get back in line. I need tactical mobility for
the future. So we need to move toward mobility and figure out how do
we sustain survivability while increasing mobility.
GEN Raymond Odierno
U.S. Army Chief of Staff
21
The Special
Operations guys go way
back where regular
troops dont go. They
liked to use the smaller
vehicles. They can get in
and out, they can be airdropped, they can drive
off the back of another
vehicle.
22
need weapons teams with those formations to protect them. The patrols that
started with three or four vehicles ballooned to 10 vehicles, all up-armored,
and you are adding up-armored kits to
them because the enemy was building
bigger bombs.
MAJ Tegge: Our billion-dollar
solution was thwarted by their $30
innovation.
Q: What are some of the challenges with moving technology
forward?
MAJ Tegge: We tend to validate
everything through modeling and
simulation and most of that is firepower ratios thrown in a box. You
never get to see how the thinking guy
employs his resources. One of my
NCOs [noncommissioned officers]
at one point said, If you modeled
23
Soldiers from 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 7th Infantry Division,
move to their objective during a live-fire exercise at Yakima Training
Center, WA. Warfighter panelists said Stryker and the similar LAV have
advantages as combat vehicles because they move Soldiers quickly. (U.S.
Army photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher McCullough.)
If Special Ops guys
adopt a specific vehicle
or system, chances are
its pretty good, and they
picked up Strykers.
25
Q: Smaller is better?
MAJ Tegge: Yes. If Im clearing a
building, I have to leave a guy in each
room to secure it. What if I had a
smart phone or maybe an iPad in a
vehicle outside that can be linked to
all these little cameras that we can
stick on walls? Because with those,
I can carry 10 or 12 of them on me.
I can leave them in each room and
keep my fire team together as we
clear rooms, and the dude in the
vehicle can say, Hey, somebody just
walked into room X and tell us what
to do. I can secure a building without reducing my manpower. If they
already have that, thats awesome.
MAJ Orlowski: Actually, the Infantry School is working on that requirement its emerging.
Q: What are important developments for future operations?
MAJ Orlowski: For me, its autonomy. Its sensor improvement,
platform improvement, processor
improvement, algorithm improvements a lot of things go into making Terminator. The best way to
do those types of things is highly
dependent on certain algorithms and
LIDAR, which is light radar. They
send a laser scan out and map the
area of interest. Its highly dependent
on processing power. I dont think
the technology is there yet its not
fast enough. A lot of smart people are
working on it.
If we had the will and the money,
you could have automated convoys
go from base to base. What were not
quite there with, yet, is if a 4-year-old
kid steps out in front of an autonomous vehicle, what is it going to do?
But going from point A to point B,
we could do that now.
Q: Do you ever see developments
in the automotive industry or
other technologies and think to
Soldiers with 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat
Team, 82nd Airborne Division prepare for a mounted patrol in their M-ATVs
near the Arghandab River Valley, Afghanistan. Soldiers said M-ATV came
close to an effective combination of agility and protection. (U.S. Air Force
photo by Tech. Sgt. Joselito Aribuabo.)
27
Third Soldier
Innovation Workshop
Creates Visions
of Tomorrow
By accelerate Staff
28
Top: Soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division discussed the benefits and
drawbacks of current military vehicle designs with CCS students before the
students began sketching future concepts.
Warfighters and TARDEC engineers advise CCS students on the attributes
theyre looking for in military ground systems. TARDEC has held three Soldier
Innovation Workshops to inject creativity and fresh perspectives into future
vehicle concept design. (U.S. Army TARDEC photos by Brian Ferencz.)
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Reducing fuel consumption ranks as one of the most critical issues facing the
military and the nation. The Army and Department of Energy are collaborating
across broad areas of technical interest that will result in long-term mutual
value to reach the ultimate goal substantially increasing energy efficiency.
By accelerate Staff
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31
TARDEC-DoE projects like the 21st Century Truck Partnership should help the Army meet long-range energy efficiency
goals for its truck fleets. Continued collaboration is an effective way to leverage research and development resources
as budgets get tighter, TARDEC Director Dr. Paul Rogers said. (U.S. Army photo by SSG Cynthia Spalding.)
Collaboration also establishes communication paths that enable awareness of ongoing activities within the
respective organizations and the
broader technical communities with
which they interface.
TARDEC Director Dr. Paul Rogers
echoed Daviss remarks, adding that
DoDs relationship with DoE will
allow the ground vehicle community
to replicate the advanced technologies that help the Army achieve
its long-term energy efficiency
goals. Its incumbent upon us in
the science and technology [S&T]
community to work with industry to
mature and transition the advanced
technologies this community has
developed, Rogers explained.
Continued collaboration is an
effective way to learn each others
mutual interests, identify dual-use
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AVPTA
The AVPTA portfolio contains 13
ongoing projects across seven technology focus areas that include LightWeight Structures and Materials,
Energy Recovery and Thermal
Management, Electrified Propulsion
Systems, and Energy Storage and
Batteries. While the AVPTA pursues
these projects in an effort to increase
future fuel efficiency, the military
must also consider commercially
available technology and supply
chains to develop solutions required
for its unique applications and performance requirements.
Two notable ongoing AVPTA projects
are Light-Weight Vehicle Structures
21CTP
TARDEC and DoE VTO continue
their collaborative efforts through
the 21CTP, which focuses on the following key technology areas:
Engine systems
Heavy-duty hybrids
Vehicle power demands
Idle reduction
Efficient operations
Subtopics include intelligent transportations systems, crash avoidance,
parasitic loss and idle reductions.
The Armys primary logistics burden is shipping fuel and water to
forward-deployed operational forces
in war zones and remote locations.
Through joint programs that examine how to make heavy-duty commercial trucks more fuel efficient, the
Army can transfer those technologies
to its work/administrative use vehicles on U.S. bases and, after further
reliability and performance demonstrations, to its tactical and combat
vehicles in the field.
TARDEC recently hosted the
21CTP Fall Meeting that provided
COL Bruce McPeak, Director of Materiel Systems and Operational Energy for
CASCOM, listens to TARDEC Engineer Daniel Maslach (left) explain fuel cell
research in the Ground Systems Power and Energy Laboratory during the 21st
Century Truck Partnership Fall Meeting. The collaborative event helped
participants identify areas of mutual technical interest. (U.S. Army TARDEC photo.)
33
Wireless Recharging
Any idea that could reduce a Soldiers weight burden and increase survivability
has merits. Engineers are studying the concept of wireless power transfer in the
field, which would accomplish the above objectives for Soldiers and possibly
lower life-cycle costs for the Army.
By Dr. Abul Masrur
34
Currently, Soldiers must carry multiple spare batteries to keep radios and
other equipment operational, leading
to additional weight burdens and constant need for logistics resupply.
Eliminating this challenge and integrating other potential vehicular
applications and recharge capabilities
using transferred power from sourceto-load is an innovation that could
significantly improve dismounted
operations in remote locations.
With Office of the Secretary of
Defense funding, the Tank
Automotive Research, Development
and Engineering Center (TARDEC)
initiated a Phase I Small Business
Innovation Research (SBIR) grant for
non-contact wireless power transfer.
Completed in early 2012, this project
delivered system hardware that was
demonstrated in a High Mobility
Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle
(HMMWV) environment, showing
that power can be wirelessly transferred from a transmitter in the seat to
power a device carried by someone
sitting on the vehicle or in the seats
vicinity. This wireless power transfer
device has compact packaging, and
uses lightweight, flexible repeaters to
enhance the power transfer distance
as necessary.
Integrating
recharge capabilities
using transferred power
from source-to-load is
an innovation that could
significantly improve
dismounted operations
in remote locations.
Dr. Abul Masrur
TARDEC researcher
Although the initial amount of power
transfer for the Phase I SBIR was specified to be small and transmitted over
a short distance, the works success
showed technical feasibility and that
the scalability could be enhanced as
an initial research endeavor, to the
extent of 50 watts to 500 watts.
Similarly, the power transmission distance can be extended to around 10
feet initially. The research has significant impact, because the technology
can be integrated to energize electrical
devices used by dismounted Soldiers
outside the vehicle and recharge other
Soldier devices inside the vehicle.
Work extension can lead to energizing
batteries on robotic vehicles for both
propulsion and delivery of power to
other loads within the vehicle.
INNOVATIVE RESEARCH
YIELDS POTENTIAL
The intent of early research was to
wirelessly transmit power from one
point to another within a vehicle, so
that electrical sources and loads could
be easily relocated or reconfigured
without having to significantly rewire
or redesign the engineering each time.
Through continued research, we
found that dismounted Soldiers who
carry a range of electrical equipment
may need to charge certain batteries
more frequently.
35
FIREWALL
INSTRUMENT CLUSTER
Figure 1
Applications for wireless power transmission for military operations and
first responders are nearly limitless.
For example, a Soldier in a MineResistant Ambush-Protected (MRAP)
vehicle could tether and operate a
TALON robot from inside the vehicle.
Currently, a Soldier needs to retrieve
the robot to recharge its batteries. This
poses obvious danger to the human
operator, who must leave the vehicle to
replace the robots battery. The danger
is significantly mitigated if the robot
can be recharged by fully wireless
means remote powering of its battery for propulsion or catering to any
other mission load.
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POWER TRANSFER
In some cases, connectorless power can
be materialized in the form of a regular
power transformer. However, there is
an air gap where the power crosses
wirelessly from one side to the other.
This is an example of inductive power
transfer. Depending on the power level
involved and the distance through
which power must be transferred, the
core can be made of a specific magnetic
material, as illustrated in Figure 2.
Using electromagnetic theory and
physics, scientists have shown that the
efficiency of power transfer and voltage
at the load end depends on the frequency of the AC source (corresponding to some wavelength), air-gap distance, core material used and size
(diameter) of the coils involved. If the
core magnetic material of the core is
completely eliminated (such as using
air core), this constitutes a completely
wireless transmission without any
(solid) material medium in between. It
should be noted that under certain circumstances, the AC-DC conversion
stage before the load can be totally
eliminated in cases when the load itself
is operated with AC frequency, which
can come directly from the receiver.
INDUCTIVE RESONANCE
The amount of power transfer between
the transmitter and receiver depends
on two factors:
Coupling, which depends on the distance between the coils, size of the coil,
their alignment, and the material
medium involved in coupling the coils.
Quality factor of the networks (electrical circuits) between the source to the
transmitter and the receiver to the
load. This quality factor is frequency
dependent and can be significantly
controlled by changing the parameters
(by using capacitors) in the tuning networks at both the transmitter and
receiver ends. This amounts to impedance matching between the transmitter
and receiver.
SOURCE
Figure 2
DC to AC
CONVERSION
AC to DC
CONVERSION
TRANSMITTER
AIR GAP
LOAD
RECEIVER
sight for the power to reach its destination. Both microwave and laser-based
systems have been used to power
unmanned vehicles like robots and
small airplanes.
AREAS OF APPLICATION
Wireless charging can enhance survivability. Its safer for the operator in
a larger ground vehicle to drive near a
robot to recharge it or replace a battery without leaving his vehicle. Also,
inductive technology is more benign
for a human operator. Because microwave and laser-based methods can
pose risks, designers should aim for
less electromagnetic compatibility
(EMC)-related noise and signature,
which can adversely affect combat
operations. For higher power ranges,
engineers must account for any possible health hazards, regardless of the
technology used.
To achieve the goal of wireless electrical
power system development for military
applications, research in the following
areas will be necessary:
Develop mathematical and computer-based models for wireless power
systems using microwaves and lasers,
and study the feasibility through electromagnetic field analysis software, if
necessary.
Study the antenna and receiver systems through models to demonstrate
feasibility, and combine this with the
model of the vehicular load systems.
37
OPL Lab Manager Chris Felczak adjusts a test dummy in a lab impact simulator at SANGB. The lab creates various
scenarios to test different types of seats to help keep Soldiers safe inside different types of tactical vehicles. (U.S.
Air National Guard (ANG) photo by Brittani Baisden.)
39
U.S. Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) and U.S. Rep. Sander Levin
(D-MI) joined TARDEC Director Dr. Paul Rogers and
General Motors (GM) Executive Director of Global Fuel
Cell Activities Charlie Freese in a ribbon-cutting ceremony
recently in the Ground Systems Power and Energy
Laboratory (GSPEL) at the Detroit Arsenal. Thats where
GM and TARDEC will share three Fuel Cell Automated
Testing Systems to evaluate and demonstrate hydrogen fuel
cell technology. Sen. Levin emphasized the importance of
GROWING THE
TECHNOLOGY
Hydrogen fuel cells are a dual-use
technology with benefits for both
partners. GM plans to use the
research results to build its portfolio
of alternative energy vehicles for the
automotive market. The automaker
began its Project Driveway demonstration in 2007, when it released a
fleet of 119 fuel-cell powered
Chevrolet Equinox vehicles on the
road. Those vehicles have collectively
driven nearly 3 million miles, saved
157,894 gallons of gasoline and
avoided more than $552,631 in fuel
costs, according to GM estimates in
Fall 2013.
In the military domain, engineers are
developing fuel cell technology to use
for auxiliary power units (APUs) that
reformulate Jet Propellant (JP)-8 fuels
into hydrogen, which can then be converted into electricity. This conversion
process can provide quiet, efficient
onboard power for in-vehicle electronic systems or robots. TARDEC
engineers are working on a hydrogen
fuel cell demonstrator to assess its
readiness level for insertion in an
Abrams tank. The demonstrator consists of two parts one section reformulates the JP-8 fuel commonly used
in military vehicles into hydrogen,
and then the fuel cell stacks convert
the hydrogen into electric power.
TARDEC engineers say that conversion would lead to a projected 33-percent savings in fuel use (versus running
in-vehicle electronics off the main
engine) and provide quieter operation.
These fuel cell test stands are capable
of testing a 10-kilowatt system, which
is about one-tenth the size of a fuelcell system that goes into a car,
explained TARDEC Engineer Herbert
Dobbs. By testing a subscale system
like this, we can affordably experiment with variations for the best performance, durability, efficiency and
cost. It helps us understand the military potential of fuel cell technology.
GMs Charlie Freese explained that
hydrogen fuel-cell technology has
already been propelled by joint
research. On a morning like today,
with single-digit temperatures, you
can turn the key in one of those vehicles and it will start in the cold just
10 years ago, that was impossible.
Through CRADAs like this one, we
learn as partners how to advance
these important technologies.
41
All-American Bowl
Showcases
Army Technologies
By Amanda Dunford
Visitors take the controls of a mini robot while Soldiers explain how this technology is used to keep them safer in the field.
(U.S. Army TARDEC photos by Amanda Dunford.)
Students check out the Fuel Efficient Demonstrator in the Army Strong Zone at
the All-American Bowl.
43
info in brief
30-Year Strategy
TARDEC Maps Vision to Army of 2040
V
S2: Develop New Capabilities for
Current Ground Systems focuses
on developing and integrating new
technologies and capabilities that
support existing PORs.
V
S3: Provide Engineering Support
and Services focuses on providing
the overall best engineering service
and value to TARDEC partners
throughout vehicle life cycles.
Over the past 10 years, our core
investments have been primarily
focused on what is now known as VS2
developing capabilities for current
ground systems, explained TARDEC
Strategic Technology Planning (STP)
Team Leader Michael Rose. What
the 30-Year Strategy acknowledges
is our renewed commitment to VS1
and VS3, which emphasize the importance of developing new concepts for
the Future Force and supporting the
acquisition community with advanced
engineering service capabilities in
areas like systems engineering and
modeling and simulation.
45
info in brief
Team Aims to Improve
HMMWV Blast Protection
for Systems
Integration
Associate
Director,
Engineered
Solutions, John J.
Schmitz stated.
The aluminum
armor solution
proved to be the
key because you
can only load so
much weight on
an HMMWV
chassis. The prototype vehicle is the
same weight but with significantly
increased survivability.
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SPH
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On Twitter at TARDEC_PAO