Composite Military Vehicle Completes Road Tests

21 Januari 2010

ACMV-all composite military vehicle (photo : Defense Update)

The first all-composite military vehicle (ACMV) for the US Army has successfully completed both accelerated durability and road tests conducted by the manufacturer, TPI Composites.

The ACMV is the first completely composite tactical vehicle to prove that the integration of advanced composite materials into tactical vehicles will provide a lighter and more durable high-mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles (HMMWV).
The composite tactical vehicles can be operated in dangerous terrains while safely transporting troops and cargo.

In addition, the vehicles will provide the army with the ability to add personnel protection and payload including vital communications systems or ammunition as well as reduce corrosion and maintenance expenses by improving fuel efficiency while in battlefield.

The design of the ACMV is based on the architecture of the HMMWV. The body structure, including the frame rails, contains no metal and is completely manufactured of composite materials.

The standard drive trains, suspensions and other accessories were fixed to the ACMV's composite body using methods similar to those used for steel and aluminium HMMWVs.

Between December 2008 and May 2009, the ACMV underwent performance tests including static stability (tilt table), Nato double lane change, steady state turning, ride quality peak acceleration and peak vertical acceleration.

Blast testing is the next and final significant phase of testing of the ACMV and is expected to take place in the first half of 2010.

(Army Technology)