Advanced Braking and Suspension Systems to Improve Reliability and Reduce Maintenance – Phase II
NCMS Project #: 142148
Problem: The Army’s High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) has become unreliable as their engine, drivetrain, and suspension struggled with more weight than they were designed for. This has accelerated wear and tear on critical components causing maintenance failures, degrading reliability, and resulting in greater risk of injuries to personnel. Environmental conditions, including sand, dust, extreme weather combined with the heavier loads from being “up-armored” wears the brake pads and rotors more quickly with the average brake pad life somewhere between 250–1,300 miles.
Benefit: Improved reliability of braking and stability control systems will allow vehicles to spend less time in the shop and more time on the road. This increase in readiness translates into commercial vehicles doing the work to get goods and services where they need to be in a timely manner.
Solution/Approach: Objectives for Phase II are to troubleshoot any training issues encountered during the initial phase. Phase II will help evolve the advanced braking and suspension technology by fully vetting Field Service Representatives (FSRs) who will be trained and equipped to provide installation oversight at Red River Army Depot and other Army facilities.
Impact on Warfighter:
- Reduce asset downtime and maintenance costs
- Decrease logistics footprint
- Improve safety
- Increase readiness and mission capabilities
DOD Participation:
- Red River Army Depot (RRAD)
- Fort Bragg
- Fort Irwin
- Yakima, WA
- Paris, IL
- Joint Base Charleston
- U.S. Army Product Director, Light Tactical Vehicles (PD LTV)
Industry Participation:
- Ricardo Defense
- NCMS
Benefit Area(s):
- Cost savings
- Maintenance avoidance and reliability
- Safety
- Survivability
- Reliability improvement
Focus Area:
- Workforce development/visualization