NEW TECHNOLOGIES
Web Page sponsor Oxley Developments
www.oxleygroup.com
19 May 07. International showed BATTLESPACE its new MXT-MVA (Military Vehicle – Armored) at IDEX. The vehicle was first shown for the first time at the U.S. Army’s Aberdeen Proving Grounds and has since been down-selected as a contender for the JLTV Program to replace the HMMV against Lockheed’s HMT vehicle. The MXT-MVA is an all-terrain, armored wheeled vehicle platform designed to provide a new level of ballistics and blast protection on the battlefield and against the new threat of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). It is a derivative of the MXT 4×4 Pickup which makes an ideal base as it is so big that the crew cab can seat five sumo wrestlers with ease (providing one of them can drive) and the tray can carry a jet ski or a motorcycle with the tailgate up. Not surprisingly, the MXT-MVA can handle the weight of the armor with ease, especially over long distances, rugged terrain and when maneuverability is critical. Powered by a 300-horsepower International V8 diesel engine with 530 lb.-ft. of torque, additional armor does not adversely affect the vehicle’s superior payload ability, towing capacity or durability. The cab can be configured to fit as many as six crew members in full gear, while the body of the MXT-MVA is versatile enough to accommodate an array of weapons, navigation and communications systems and applications such as convoy protection, field shelter, ambulance and communications units, which are seamlessly integrated with the company’s proprietary multiplexed electrical system. International Military and Government LLC (IMG) is a wholly owned subsidiary of International Truck and Engine Corporation, and has collaborated extensively with established armor providers and military development engineers within the US Army Tank-Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Centers (TARDEC) National Automotive Center to develop the right armor solutions for the full spectrum of military operations. Rob Puhalovich told BATTLESPACE that the U.K. MoD had invited International to show its vehicle at this year’s DVD as it was seen as a natural contender for the forthcoming OUVs Project and the Protected Patrol Vehicle requirement. International has gone from Defense Segment sales of six vehicles in 2004 to 17000 in 2006 and is supplying vehicles to Afghanistan and Iraq against Oshkosh and Stewart & Stevenson. BATTLESPACE will be writing a feature on the vehicle for the DVD issue.
20 Feb 07. BAE Systems is offering its Vehicle Emergency Escape (VEE) Window to help increase the survivability of soldiers and Marines in Iraq and Afghanistan. The U.S. military is exploring ways to help soldiers and Marines in combat zones rapidly escape from up-armored vehicles in the event of a vehicle emergency, such as a rollover, fire or accident. The VEE Window is a simple technology developed by BAE Systems engineers that allows crews of the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) and other up-armored combat vehicles to quickly remove vehicle windows and transparent armor components in order to exit the vehicle during an emergency. VEE Window kits can be fielded to units in Iraq and Afghanistan within 90 days after a contract is issued. Kit installation can be performed in the field by Army and Marine maintenance personnel in approximately one hour. The VEE Window is easy to use and install and is adaptable to virtually any tactical up-armored combat vehicle, such as the Army’s Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles or the Marine’s Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement. The kit for the M1114 HMMWV consists of modified transparent armor assemblies, or bullet-proof windshields, with integral, fail-safe latch mechanisms. The kit provides the same level of ballistic protection as the current vehicle configuration but with the added latch feature allowing the soldier to rapidly escape during an emergency. The rotary latch mechanism has integral safe