[Blindés] Les "petits" programmes

[Serge]

Voici un fil sur les programmes concernants les blindés américains qui ne justifieraient pas un fil dédié.

Modernisation ou achat, les programmes de mise en cohérence.

[Serge]

BAE Systems received a $28.7 million contract to upgrade 11 M88A1 Medium Recovery vehicles to the M88A2 Heavy Equipment Recovery Combat Utility Lift Evacuation System (HERCULES).

The Global Armored Vehicles and Counter IED Vehicles Market 2011-2021 - Industry Trends, Recent Deve...

“The M88A2 is able to hoist and tow twice the weight than that of an M88A1, including an M1 Abrams tanLk, and is an essential component in helping our Armed Forces to fulfill successful recovery missions,” said Mark Signorelli, vice president and general manager or Armored Combat Systems at BAE Systems. “This contract demonstrates the continued need to invest in the HERCULES and shows the Army’s commitment to the irreplaceable role it serves.”

The M88A2 HERCULES offers operational and logistics commonality with the existing M88A1 fleet, which provides simplified training and parts availability benefits to the end-user. Key upgrades for the HERCULES include: improved power-assisted braking, steering, winching, hoisting, and increased horsepower. HERCULES has the lowest acquisition, operational and maintenance cost of any 70-ton capable recovery system, answering the need for cost-effective, self-supporting heavy recovery performance. The M88A2 provides unparalleled capability for recovering today’s 70-ton combat vehicles including the M1A1, M1A2, Leopard MBT, bridging systems, and other medium weight vehicles.

The upgrade work will be performed by the existing workforce at BAE Systems operations in York, Pennsylvania and Aiken, South Carolina. The contract was awarded by the U.S. Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command with deliveries to conclude in March 2014. The award brings the total value of U.S. Government contracts that BAE Systems has been awarded on the HERCULES program to $2.1 billion. To date, 575 HERCULES vehicles have been fielded against an overall U.S. Army requirement of 632 vehicles, and a total of 84 vehicles have been fielded to the U.S. Marine Corps.

The M88 plays a critical role the company’s campaign to maintain the Bradley Industrial Base by protecting the affordability of the Army’s combat vehicles. BAE Systems’ York facility is responsible for four of the five U.S. Army Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT) vehicles, including the Bradley and the M88. In addition to proposing that Congress provide base level investment in critical combat vehicle improvements, BAE Systems is working with the Army to secure increased funding for the M88 program to help carry the workload at the facility.

Source : BAE Systems PLC (LSE: BAES.L)

[Serge]

A Fuel-Efficient Ground Vehicle Demonstrator (FED) engineered by Ricardo has proven to dramatically lower fuel consumption in military vehicles following two years of on-the-ground testing.

The FED project was developed as a ‘clean sheet’ with a Ricardo-led team that included personnel from the US Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) working alongside top industry suppliers. The programme aims to lower US oil dependence by developing innovative fuel economy technologies.

The demonstrator was designed with a supercharged Cummins I4 engine, low-rolling resistance Goodyear tyres, and an Alcoa Defense developed aluminium structure.

The FED has been undergoing testing at the US Army’s Aberdeen Proving Grounds over the past 19 months.

An analysis has now shown that compared to the US military’s regularly outfitted M1151 HMMWV, the FED experienced a 72 percent improvement in fuel economy. The FED’s performance was assessed using a number of realistic duty cycles including highway, off-road and idle conditions.

As well as improved fuel economy, driving tests prove significantly improved acceleration over the current vehicle, even when loaded to nearly seven tons.

Wesley Scharmen, Ricardo chief engineer on the project, said: ‘We implemented a relatively conservative approach using near or in-market technology to reach our fuel economy objectives, and we have proven they are achievable. This kept costs down and increased the production feasibility of the end product.’

Carl Johnson, TARDEC’s team lead for FED, added: ‘The team took a total-vehicle approach to improving fuel economy. And they did it using proven technology. When government and industry teams work together the results can be substantial. A 72 percent increase in fuel economy provides us with a significant competitive advantage in the field.’

With fuel being the second most delivered commodity to ground troops, right behind water, the FED has important implications for reducing fuel consumption in the field, along with improving military vehicle technology.

Tom Apostolos, president of Ricardo’s US subsidiary, Ricardo Inc, said: ‘The FED offers an extremely valuable template for future defence vehicle development. It sets the stage for cost-effective, high-performing, fuel-efficient vehicles that enable US forces to fulfil their combat roles in the smartest way possible.’

http://www.shephardmedia.com/news/mil-log/ricardo-project-proves-vehicle-fuel-economy/

[Chronos]

C'est intéressant en terme de coût de fonctionnement et dépendance logistique. Il y a un impact particulier sur le coût de production et d'entretien du moteur ?

Le camouflage sur la photo est intéressant aussi.

[Serge]

“Check your six” is a term commonly used by troops in theater, reminding their teams to keep an eye on what’s behind them. Our Check-6 vehicle taillight camera helps fighting forces do just that, allowing them to see behind their vehicles while remaining protected under vehicle armor.

Today, seven years after it was invented, we’re proud to celebrate the delivery of the 40,000th Check-6 system to the U.S. Army. This unique, patented invention – a thermal imaging camera sensor embedded within the military style taillight housing of ground vehicles – has been providing combat crews in Iraq and Afghanistan with day, night, and all-weather rear vision capability on a variety of military combat and tactical vehicles. These include heavy-armored tracked and wheeled vehicles such as the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle, MRAP All-Terrain Vehicle (MATV), M1 Abrams main battle tank, Stryker Family of Vehicles, and Medium Mine Protected Vehicle (MMPV).

“Being able to see outside the vehicle’s armor provides a vital increase in situational awareness and safety for the soldiers inside it,” said Gary Morris, business development manager at BAE Systems. “Our Check-6 cameras improve safety and mission effectiveness, and above all, they can help save lives.”

These rear vision systems use thermal or color cameras embedded into Department of Defense style taillights, offering performance with easy installation and the ability to replace taillight housings common to more than 200,000 military vehicles. The Check-6 systems are manufactured in Austin, Texas, at our center for engineering and manufacturing of Integrated Vision System products for the military.

Source : BAE Systems PLC (LSE: BAES.L)

http://www.asdnews.com/mobile/news/49912/Check_Your_Six.htm

[Serge]

Dans le cadre du programme GCV, une étude très importante vient d'être lancée : la faisabilité d'un planché monobloc pour la construction des blindés lourds.

Alcoa to Forge an Single Piece Aluminum Hull for a Tracked Armored Vehicle

Posted by Tamir Eshel

Aluminum manufacturer and processing company Alcoa has teamed with the US Army Advanced Research Laboratory (ARL) to develop a hull for a Ground Combat Vehicle armored vehicle hull made of a single piece of aluminum. Today, such hulls are manufactured from several metal plates welded together to form the hull structure. The seams are often becoming weak areas, becoming susceptible to blast damage. Replacing today’s assembled plates hulls, a single piece aluminum hull would offer a lighter, better protected structure, offering higher resistance to IED blast, be more durable to deformation, offering overall lower acquisition and life cycle cost.

“Our collaborative effort to develop a continuous and seamless aluminum hull has the potential to become a game changer for how armored vehicles are designed and made, to better protect our soldiers.” Dr. Ernest Chin of the ARL said.

The single hull structure will eliminate the use of welded armor plates, providing a single structure covering the entire vehicles’ lower hull. Alcoa plans to use advanced blast absorbent alloys, to further improve the structure’s tolerance to damage. The forging process will also enable designers to tailor the three-dimensional design and the structure’s width to meet specific protection and strength requirements in certain areas, while reducing the overall weight of the entire structure.

Reduced weight also means lighter vehicle weight, which further contributes to lower fuel consumption, and wear over the entire life cycle of the vehicle, thus contributing to lower life cycle cost. Once production processes are proven, it can be expected that the production of a single piece hull will become more economical and faster, further improving manufacturing cost.

ARL and Alcoa Defense have launched the program after Alcoa has modeled the advantages of the single piece large aluminum hull. The company already has the capabilities to forge the largest aluminum structures. Under the 18 month program ARL will coordinate the research efforts at the Alcoa Technical Center, to refine the hull design and develop the alloy requirements. Alcoa Defense will then work with Alcoa Forging and extrusions in Cleveland to produce a 20 by 7 foot demonstrator hull with the company’s 50,000 ton forging press, one of the two heaviest forging presses in the USA, to validate the performance benefits of the new hull.

http://defense-update.com/20131021_alcoa-to-forge-an-single-piece-aluminum-hull-for-a-tracked-armored-vehicle.html Modifié le 27 octobre 2013 par Serge

[Serge]

Army's Ultra Light Vehicle now in survivability testing

Two of the three vehicles in the Army's "Ultra Light Vehicle" program have now entered survivability testing in Nevada and Maryland to evaluate both their blast and ballistic protection capability.

The third vehicle remains at the Army's Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center for testing there.

The TARDEC began development of three ULVs in fall 2011, at the request of the Office of the Secretary of Defense. While the ULV will not be fielded as a combat vehicle, it does serve as a research and development platform that will ultimately yield data that can be used by other TARDEC agencies and program managers, as well as sister services to develop their own vehicles and equipment in the future.

"It's all about sharing the data," said Mike Karaki, the ULV's program manager. "If we have an ability to share the data internally within TARDEC, and externally within the program managers and program executive offices, and beyond that with other government agencies, we will attempt to do that. It's helping shape and inform future programs."

Karaki said the ULV program might help development of survivability in future vehicles, and may also help development of other hybrid vehicles as well.

"You want to be able to use anything and everything you can from this program to help reduce the duplication of efforts in the future," he said.

The ULV is a hybrid vehicle that includes lightweight advanced material armor, lightweight wheels and tires and other automotive systems, blast-mitigating underbody technology and advanced C4ISR equipment inside.

"We tried to push the envelope in terms of state-of-the-art and out-of-the-box materials throughout the entire development process," said Karaki.

The vehicle, from design to delivery, took only 16 months, Karaki said.

"We show there are some successes in the rapid design, development, fabrication and integration of the effort," Karaki said. "It's doable. It's high risk and high reward. Can you do it in a rapid time frame? We've proven we can do that."

The ULV is hybrid vehicle powered by a diesel engine that drives an electric generator. That generator in turn powers two electric motors that turn the wheels. Two electric motors provides redundancy should one of the motors fail.

Karaki said choosing a hybrid system came from the need to develop a more survivable vehicle for Soldiers. He said the contractor was concerned about how to make the vehicle perform better in a blast event, and came to the conclusion that a hybrid was the better choice.

Because it is a hybrid vehicle, it has none of the standard equipment underneath the vehicle. It features instead a "clean underbody" that makes it more capable of withstanding something like an explosion from an improvised explosive device.

"If you keep less equipment, accessories, systems underneath the vehicle, and you allow the underbody geometry to do what it needs to do -- have a clean underbody -- you will be able to improve your chances of being able to direct a blast away from the vehicle," he said.

The primary customer for the ULV vehicle, which is a test vehicle, is the Office of the Secretary of Defense. The program came with four research objectives, which are a 4,500 pound payload, a vehicle weight of 14,000 pounds, protection that is comparable to the currently fielded mine resistant ambush protected vehicle, and a price of $250,000 each for a hypothetical 5,000-unit production run.

Karaki said the program is meeting or is expected to meet those objectives.

"On paper, the stuff upfront, the size, the weight, the cost, the timeframe, we checked those boxes," he said. "The testing and evaluation of all these advanced survivability systems are in process right now."

Two of three vehicles are undergoing survivability testing now. The third vehicle is in Warren, Mich., at TARDEC's Ground Systems Power and Energy Laboratory undergoing automotive testing and to evaluate its hybrid electric setup. Karaki said eventually the two ULVs undergoing survivability testing will be destroyed as part of that testing. The third vehicle, the one at TARDEC, will be kept as a test platform.

The ULV is not a replacement for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle program or the Humvee. It is an experimental vehicle used for testing purposes. The program will wrap up in fiscal year 2014.

By C. Todd Lopez

http://www.asdnews.com/news-52412/Ar...#ixzz2lwKtHhyg

Modifié le 30 novembre 2013 par Serge

[Serge]

Un point sur le MCRS introduit avec le Stryker.

Newest Army recovery vehicle wields claws, can handle most anything

December 18, 2013

By T. Anthony Bell

FORT LEE, Va. (Dec. 18, 2013) -- The Ordnance School is continuing to fulfill the training requirements of Soldiers deployed in combat environments.

Providing training on the Army's newest recovery vehicle -- the Modular Catastrophic Recovery System -- is its latest effort to prepare Soldiers for tasks and missions they are likely to encounter in the field.

The Modular Catastrophic Recovery System, or MCRS, which is currently fielded only in Afghanistan, is a multi-component recovery system that has been used in Southwest Asia for several years. The Ordnance School implemented the MCRS module into the H8 Recovery Specialist Course, a three-week Additional Skill Identifier course, in October of 2012.

Gary Winter, chief of the Recovery Division in the school's Track, Metalworking and Recovery Department, said the course has trained roughly 400 students on the MCRS thus far, and he is enthusiastic about its training value.

"I feel the Soldiers who have trained on it can be combat multipliers for the combatant commander out there," said the former Soldier. "It's basically three systems combined into one. In my opinion, it (the MCRS) makes the job easier for Soldiers who are recovering damaged or catastrophically damaged vehicles when compared to traditional wreckers."

MCRS is comprised of a M983A4 Light Equipment Transporter, Fifth Wheel Towing and Recovery Device and Tilt Deck Recovery Trailer. It can recover and tow a variety of wheeled vehicles in a variety of situations, said Adam Jenkins, senior instructor.

"The strength of the system is its versatility," he said. "The fact is that it can tow many vehicles that others can't. It's not going to replace a wrecker, but it is an awesome recovery trailer that we can use as an asset to complement our existing wreckers (the M984 and M1089)."

MCRS was originally developed as a Stryker recovery vehicle. Its trailer can hold 35 tons, giving it the capability to handle many of the mine-resistant armor-protected vehicles, known as MRAPs, that are relatively new to the Army's vehicle inventory.

Because the armored wheeled vehicles play important roles in Afghanistan from a strategic standpoint, hands-on training with them is imperative during the course of study, which is weighted heavily around several scenarios, said Sgt. 1st Class Nelson Walker, an instructor/writer.

"The scenarios we use for the MCRS provide a full range of recovery capabilities for all wheeled vehicles to include both MRAP and Stryker," he said. "They include operating the Tilt Deck Recovery Trailer, sledding a catastrophically damaged vehicle onto the Tilt Deck Recovery Trailer and performing a 90-degree pull with the Fifth Wheel Towing and Recovery Device."

During a training day last week, teams of Soldiers endured cold, wet weather to arduously perform a myriad of tasks to secure a "catastrophic" MRAP (RG33) vehicle. Winter said students are generally enthusiastic about the training.

"When they come to MCRS training, they are very highly motivated," he said. "They want to be out in the field hands-on and don't want to be in the classroom. On the end of course surveys, they always ask for more time in the field and on that vehicle because they feel like they don't get enough time."

Those who have previously operated the vehicle and later receive training at the school are grateful, said Sgt. 1st Class John Durousseau, chief instructor.

"Those who are coming back from the theater appreciate the training they are getting here because there are a few things they didn't grasp until they got here," he said. "At the schoolhouse, all the processes are worked out by the book. We are honing their skills here and they are returning to theater using the equipment to its full capacity."

MCRS is currently being added to the unit equipment rolls, but has not been fielded Army-wide, said Winter. He added no dates have been announced for when a service-wide rollout is likely to occur. In the meantime, the course is set to graduate 300-500 students during the next fiscal year.

Modifié le 22 décembre 2013 par Serge

[Serge]

Pour les amoureux de belles mécaniques, le FED :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcK3pYlRLLA&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[Conan le Barbare]

l'extincteur qui est mit comme si c'était une bouteille de "Nos" entre les deux siège hahaha j'ai bien ri

[Serge]

Livraison à l'USMC des premiers M9 modernisés :

Navy Fields Modernized M9 ACE to Marines

(Source: U.S Navy; issued March 11, 2014)

PANAMA CITY, Fla. --- The Marine Corps Systems Command Combat Support Systems (MCSC CSS) and Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division (NSWC PCD) M9 Armored Combat Earthmover (ACE) engineers delivered four modernized M9 ACE production units to the U.S. Marine Corps, Feb. 28.

According to NSWC PCD M9 ACE Project Engineer Jeff Dinges, the first modernized units were delivered specifically to the 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

"There will be a total of 101 Modernized M9 ACE's delivered to the United States Marine Corps by the end of Fiscal Year 2015," said Dinges.

Dinges said this has been the first major upgrade to the Marine Corps M9 ACE since 1993. The M9 ACE is a fully tracked armored combat engineer vehicle, operated by one engineer equipment operator, and provides combat engineering support to front-line Marine forces.

"To be an M9 ACE operator is earned, not given," said 8th Engineer Support Battalion's Marine Sergeant Anthony Queisser. "An M9 ACE operator is alone, unarmed and unafraid."

The Marines, who depend on it to breach obstacles and clear the way for their troops, claim it is now capable of functioning more efficiently than ever before.

"When the Marines penetrate areas that appear impassable, it is the mission of the M9 ACE operator to clear all obstacles, reconstruct terrain, breach berms, prepare anti-tank ditches, prepare access routes at water obstacles and create roads, so our forces can breach these areas to complete their missions," said Dinges.

According to Dinges, the M9 ACE, a vehicle once plagued with mechanical issues originating back to the 1980's, increasing the M9's Reliability, Availability, and Maintainability (RAM), is his engineering team's objective.

"The M9 ACE breaches obstacles often constructed by our adversaries. Now that it's been modernized, there is less of a delay for troop movement by having an ACE out in front," said Queisser. "And when you're under enemy fire, every second counts."

"The Modernized M9 ACE is a significant improvement over the legacy M9 ACE," said Dinges.

The vehicle's recent improvements include an entire redesign of the hydraulic subsystem, incorporation of an automated track tensioning system, a redesign of the electrical subsystem, design and integration of a vision system consisting of ten cameras, the addition of an automated fire extinguishing system, and incorporating improvements from the Army's Standard Improvement Package-4 (SIP-4).

Dinges said that his team started off with a major subsystem replacement to improve the vehicle's reliability.

"After a year of building six low-rate production vehicles and over two years of RAM testing, we were able to improve other areas of the vehicle beneficial to both the operator and maintainer. From the engineering standpoint, we never want to stop improving the product, so we squeezed every last second out of the program schedule to get the Marines the best product possible," said Dinges.

Queisser said the modernization has made a marked difference in the vehicle's overall performance and responsiveness.

"The ACE's hydraulic system is much more capable of operating without failure," said Queisser. "The integrated vision system adds a whole new level of improved visibility. Now there are cameras and lights that surround the ACE and the infrared cameras allow us to see through clouds of dirt and dust, including the ability to see at night. The newer cameras link to screens inside the operator's cab for enhanced visibility, which brings our visibility factor from about 180 degrees, with the hatch closed, to approximately 360 degrees."

Dinges and his engineering team also developed a new computer-based troubleshooting aid that uses a 3-D model of the M9 ACE and its subsystems to help operators and maintainers learn about the vehicle, find part information, and troubleshoot subsystem problems from their computer.

"We spent two years on the computer based troubleshooting aid's design," said M9 ACE Electrical Engineer Daniel Coats. "This tool provides a faster and more user-friendly way to help operators and maintainers solve problems."

"We are very excited to be fielding this modernized upgrade," said Dinges. "After several years of development and testing, we met our objectives of delivering a vehicle that improves the Marines ability to perform their task. "It was a team effort between NSWC PCD, the USMC program office in Quantico, Va., the USMC Production Plant in Albany, Ga., the Aberdeen Test Center in Aberdeen, Md., and our team of vendors from all over the country. We would not have been able to achieve the level of success we did without efforts that went above and beyond from everyone on the M9 ACE team."

Marine Corps Systems Command's Combat Support Systems Product Manager Joseph Klocek said objectives achieved with this particular modernization effort have surpassed all previous upgrades.

"Our objective was to improve the reliability of the M9 ACE and the capability that it provides the Marine Corps' Operating Forces," said Klocek. "NSWC PCD's M9 ACE Engineering Team was critical in providing technical solutions to meet these objectives. This program is quite a success. The M9 ACE team achieved this task within cost constraints, on schedule, and is delivering to America's warfighter the most reliable and dependable modernized version of the M9 ACE fielded to date."

[Serge]

Ça y est. C'est fait.

Alcoa forges 'world's largest' monolithic aluminium hull

Daniel Wasserbly, Washington, DC - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly

13 October 2014

Metals manufacturer Alcoa has produced "the world's largest single-piece forged aluminium hull" meant for a combat vehicle, the company announced on 13 October at the annual Association of the United States Army (AUSA) conference.

The design was created via a joint project with the US Army Research Laboratory (ARL) in an effort to replace assembled hulls and thereby save costs while also creating a structure that better protects against underbelly blasts from improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

"Based on early modelling and simulation, single-piece underbody structures could provide two times better protection against blasts … than traditional hulls, primarily by eliminating welded seams," Alcoa said in a statement.

Ils sont en avance sur le calendrier.

J'aimerais surtout voir la pièce. Ça doit être remarquable.

Modifié le 14 octobre 2014 par Serge

[anthoemt]

C'est pour quel véhicule?

[Serge]

C'est un démonstrateur pour étudier la faisabilité.

Comme l'ACAVP le fut pour les matériaux composites.

Il répond à la question peut-on forger en une pièce la base de la coque d'un châssis. La réponse est donc oui.

[Serge]

La coque monolithique d'Alcoa passe les tests balistiques :

October 13, 2014 

Alcoa manufactures world’s largest single-Piece forged aluminum hull for combat vehicles to improve troop protection

Part of Joint Alcoa-US Army Initiative Launched Last Year

WASHINGTON & CLEVELAND--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Alcoa (NYSE:AA), a global leader in lightweight, high-performance metals, has produced the world’s largest single-piece forged aluminum hull for combat vehicles to improve troop protection as part of a joint Alcoa-US Army initiative launched last year. Announced in Washington, DC at the Association of the US Army Annual Meeting—the largest landpower expo in North America—Alcoa manufactured the single-piece part, which was co-designed by Alcoa and the US Army Research Laboratory, with the goal of replacing today’s assembled hulls.

Based on early modeling and simulation, single-piece underbody structures could provide two times better protection against blasts—such as those caused by Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs)—than traditional hulls, primarily by eliminating welded seams. In addition to survivability benefits, single-piece hulls can be optimized to reduce vehicle weight and assembly time, and, therefore, overall cost.

“Alcoa is proud to lead the way in developing what could be a game-changer for how combat vehicles are made to better protect our soldiers,” said Eric Roegner, President of Alcoa Defense. “Using our materials expertise and ability to forge the world’s largest aluminum structures, we moved this idea from concept to reality in record time, and are already looking into forging other parts of combat vehicles.”

The Army is now blast testing the hull to demonstrate its durability. After successful testing, this initiative would open up numerous opportunities for the military to apply single-piece structures to large combat vehicles and other applications.

The hull is part of the Army’s Affordable Protection from Objective Threats Manufacturing Technology (ManTech) program, created to improve the military’s defense against modern-day threats such as IEDs, using affordable, advanced manufacturing technologies.

“A monolithic hull could be used to produce new, or retrofit existing, combat and tactical vehicles,” said Rob Carter, Chief of Materials Manufacturing Technology Branch at the Army Research Laboratory. “This demonstrates new manufacturing approaches to open the design space for higher performance hulls and underbody kits. This could make a huge, positive impact on improving soldier protection with affordable manufacturing technologies.”

Since launching the cooperative effort last year, Alcoa Defense and the Army’s Research, Development and Engineering Command’s (RDECOM) Army Research Laboratory have coordinated research and development efforts to refine the hull design and develop the alloy requirements.

Alcoa produced two demonstrator forgings at its plant in Cleveland using its 50,000-ton forging press, the world’s most advanced hydraulic press. Alcoa’s engineers in Cleveland leveraged their expertise and decades of commercial forging experience to produce the hull earlier than the expected deliverable of 18 months.

Alcoa’s single-piece aluminum hull would improve combat vehicle performance, providing approximately two times better blast protection than traditional hulls, through:

Stronger solid structure: A single-piece hull would eliminate welded seams used in today’s manufacturing processes, covering the entire lower section of any combat vehicle.
Efficient design: Forging hulls as one unit facilitates three-dimensional shaping, allowing Alcoa to tailor the thickness where needed to maximize protection and allow for weight savings.
Cost savings: The structure is expected to reduce costs over the life of the vehicle by increasing fuel efficiency through lightweighting and eliminating assembly time and complexity.

About Alcoa

A global leader in lightweight metals technology, engineering and manufacturing, Alcoa innovates multi-material solutions that advance our world. Our technologies enhance transportation, from automotive and commercial transport to air and space travel, and improve industrial and consumer electronics products. We enable smart buildings, sustainable food and beverage packaging, high-performance defense vehicles across air, land and sea, deeper oil and gas drilling and more efficient power generation. We pioneered the aluminum industry over 125 years ago, and today, our 60,000 people in 30 countries deliver value-add products made of titanium, nickel and aluminum, and produce best-in-class bauxite, alumina and primary aluminum products. For more information, visit www.alcoa.com, follow @Alcoa on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Alcoa and follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Alcoa.

About the United States Army Research Laboratory

The U.S. Army Research Laboratory is part of the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM), which has the mission to develop technology and engineering solutions for America's Soldiers. RDECOM is a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Materiel Command. AMC is the Army's premier provider of materiel readiness -- technology, acquisition support, materiel development, logistics power projection, and sustainment -- to the total force, across the spectrum of joint military operations. If a Soldier shoots it, drives it, flies it, wears it, eats it or communicates with it, AMC delivers it. For more information, visit www.arl.army.mil, follow @ArmyResearchLab on Twitter and follow the lab on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ArmyResearchLaboratory.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains statements that relate to future events and expectations and as such constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include those containing such words as “estimates,” “expects,” “should,” “may,” “will,” “would,” or other words of similar meaning. All statements that reflect Alcoa’s expectations, assumptions or projections about the future other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding the potential benefits of large, single-piece aluminum hulls for combat vehicles. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors and are not guarantees of future performance. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements include: (a) unfavorable changes in the markets served by Alcoa, including the defense market; (b) failure to successfully implement, or to realize expected benefits from, new or innovative technologies, materials, forging or other processes, equipment, or products, in each case as expected or within the time periods anticipated; (c) the risk that single-piece aluminum hulls may not meet durability testing or other performance requirements, or achieve weight or cost savings, as expected; and (d) the other risk factors discussed in Alcoa’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013, Forms 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2014 and June 30, 2014, and other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Alcoa disclaims any intention or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether in response to new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

[collectionneur]

J'ai approfondi l'article sur le programme qui a donné naissance aux machines outils d'Alcoa :

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavy_Press_Program

Elles datent des années 50 et sont dépassé par les engins made in URSS seulement quelques années après leur mise en service (dont une service en France) et désormais par les chinoises... 

Je n'ai pas trouvé de photo de cette caisse en alu, ni même des spécifications de tailles... :(

Modifié le 20 octobre 2015 par collectionneur

[Serge]

Alcoa continu son programme :

Citation

Alcoa to lighten combat vehicles

04th March 2016 - 12:15 by the Shephard News Team 

Alcoa has received a five-year contract from the US Army for research and development (R&D) projects involving the development of lightweight solutions for ground combat vehicles, it announced on 3 March.

Alcoa Defense received the ‘Ground Vehicle Light-Weighting’ contract from the army's Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) to accelerate technology R&D and provide engineering solutions for military intelligent ground systems and ground vehicles.

The first work directive will see Alcoa advance its aluminium weld wire alloys - designed to increase the strength of welded joints while reducing corrosion of those welded joints on combat vehicles. Potential future work involves providing material research, development, testing, engineering and evaluation efforts related to ground vehicle light-weighting.

These R&D efforts will address various technologies associated with light-weighting such as aluminium forming technology, modelling and simulation, fastening and joining, armour development, material fabrication, material development, coating and corrosion technology and energy conservation.

Eric Roegner, president, Alcoa Defense, said: 'This agreement with TARDEC builds on Alcoa Defense’s decades-long partnership with the US Army to advance military ground vehicles. Alcoa’s lightweight solutions have improved troop protection while reducing vehicle weight and assembly time. We look forward to building on our successful track record to help develop the next generation combat vehicle.'

 

Modifié le 12 mars 2016 par Serge

[Serge]

Pour ceux que cela intéresse : Flexcel, un système souple de ravitaillement en carburant pour les chenillés.

http://www.geocities.ws/armorhistory/camelbaksfortanks.html