Military Vehicles of the Future
By Scott Clay, Bishop & Associates Inc.

The Russians just introduced a new tracked vehicle specifically designed to combat anti-tank and anti-vehicle threats such as rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) and man-portable missiles. With its tank losses in the Chechen wars and its observation of the U.S. vehicle threats and losses in Iraq, the Russians have built a special Tank Support Combat Vehicle, the BMPT. Built on a T-90 tank chassis, it has a special turret equipped with a rapid-fire 30mm cannon, co-ax heavy machine gun, four AT-16 Ataka-T anti-tank guided missiles, and a 30mm auto grenade launcher. It also has reactive armor.

The mission is to intercept RPGs, anti-tank missiles, shaped charges, and other threats to the Russian T-72 and T-90 tanks. The Russians plan to have several companies of these new vehicles ready to deploy into its armored force groups by 2010. Vehicle losses in the two Chechen wars were high for the Russian armored brigades, and it’s now focused on better protecting its vehicles. While built in Russia, this type of vehicle may be a sign of what is coming to various militaries, including the U.S. With the potential for more Iraq-type wars in our future, it is clear that the present production vehicles in the American inventory are not offering enough protection for today’s urban battlefields. Even the highly regarded mine-resistant ambush-protected (MRAP) vehicles are being upgraded with additional armor protection; MRAP vehicles were once thought to be fully sufficient for the threat facing troops in city environments.

In the U.S. Army, the M2A3 Bradley was envisioned by the military as filling the role of a fully armored anti-tank, anti-personnel platform. They also decided to make it a small-squad infantry carrier (six troops), in addition to a crew of three to four. The Bradley has really failed at both missions. It is not sufficiently armed to confront opposing tanks, and also has shortcomings in other areas, such as lack of air conditioning in earlier models. Interior temperatures can reach 130 degrees F or higher; so warm that troops in the Iraqi Freedom war often chose to walk outside. I was in the M2A3 demonstrator last fall in York, Penn., at BAE, and the inside temp was 90 degrees on a 70 degree day!

The Army has also had to add armor to the Bradley, both on the sides and bottom for additional improvised exploding device (IED) protection. As in the Humvee, this additional weight from the armor overtaxes the engine, drive-train, suspension, and overall performance. It is also a major candidate for some sort of electronic self-protection system, like the types being developed by companies such as Rafael, BBN, QinetiQ, IMI, Raytheon, and others. They need power, electronic signals and data feeds, plus additional wiring, leading to additional connectors. These will run the gamut from traditional 5015s, 26482s, 38999s to additional smaller and specialized mil-spec shielded and waterproof circulars, as some are constantly exposed to the elements—in RPG “Zappers,” for example. The Zappers mount on the exterior of the vehicle, usually at the four corners, to offer a full 360-degree protection arc.

The Israelis are also working on upgrades to its current vehicles, reacting from its experience and damage from its conflict with Lebanon in 2006. Losses of armor, even some of its highly rated Merkava Main Battle Tank, were a shock to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), which thought its forces were sufficiently protected from the latest generation of RPGs and other anti-tank weapons. It also had losses in its older legacy vehicles, like the M-113 APC, converted from older former Soviet vehicles that had been used by the IDF, and other lightly armored vehicles. As a result, the Israeli Army is also planning a new infantry carrier/self-protection vehicle similar to the Russian BMPT. The Israeli vehicle is called the Namur, and a pilot production of 15 vehicles is to begin this year, with a full test and evaluation program to justify production of 200 to 350 vehicles. This new platform is built on the Merkva tank chassis, but without the turret and main 120mm gun. It will have the latest self protection system, better armor (perhaps a test bed for electronic or “charged” armor), and is designated directly for the mission of patrol, anti-RPG, IED, and shaped-charge protection.

Connectors for these vehicles will mirror the ones in current main battle tanks and could add quantities of various connectors for the self protection systems, and especially for the “new technology” type of armor, that is electrically charged.

My feeling is that the Army will start looking at a vehicle like the Russian BMPT, possibly based on the Bradley Chassis or even a FCS chassis. It’s not likely to use the Stryker, as its wheelbase is too high and it has limited armor or up-armor potential. Companies such as General Dynamics, BAE Systems, Oshkosh Truck, Lockheed Martin, Textron, Blackwater, and others who are already building Army and Marine vehicles, will offer similar vehicles, at least in the concept stage. More vehicles will mean more connectors, and these will, like the IDF vehicles, have the latest technology and electronics installed. These companies are already responding to U.S. Department of Defense requests for prototypes of joint light tactical vehicles, new lightweight scout and recon platforms, and other upgraded military front-line vehicles.

The Army is also doing some upgrades to existing vehicles. The BAE family of medium-tactical vehicles (FMTV) medium-duty truck is now being built with a weapon turret ring in the top of the cab, which can handle a .50 caliber machine gun, a 40mm grenade launcher, or even a rapid-fire Gatling-style gun from GD or Dillon Aerospace. All truck makers, Oshkosh and Lockheed Martin for example, will offer this weapon station option.

The U.S. armed services are evaluating an internally transportable vehicle (ITV), which is a smaller, highly mobile four-wheel drive with high suspension travel, with an all-terrain scout and recon platform. Another key to this is the lower weight (4,000 pounds) compared to the Humvee, which weighs more than 10,000 pounds. It is also transportable by air, using a UH-60 Blackhawk or CH-53 Helicopter, or the V-22 Osprey that the Marines now have in service. Mobility and speed are the keynotes for the ITV, as well as being equipped with the latest radio and communication equipment. Armor protection is limited to what the soldiers in the vehicle are wearing. It is not intended to be used as a direct-contact combat vehicle. The original intent was deployment for recon, special forces, or “behind the lines” type of missions. But as the Army wants to develop more “mission intent” troops, air transportable vehicles are proving more necessary, especially in Afghanistan. The design has been brought back and the numbers are projected for more than 600 to 800 of these platforms. Companies having built prototypes for Army evaluation are General Dynamics, MillenWorks, Blackwater, and BAE Systems.

Scott Clay, Director Military & Aerospace, Bishop & Associates Inc.
Scott Clay has worked for more than 25 years in the connector and wiring systems markets. He has held various positions in field applications and marketing for Molex, Tyco, Methode, and ITT. For the past 15 years, Clay has focused on the military/aerospace sector, and five years ago formed his own company for consulting and application engineering. He has worked on design-in and electronics on F/A-18E/F, F-22, F-35, C-130J, C-5M, C-27, P-8, A-10, and numerous other aircraft. Some of the Navy programs Clay has participated in are SSN-774 Virginia class subs, CVX, DDG-1000, and the Littoral Combat Ship class. He has extensive expertise in land vehicle systems, and has worked closely with the worldwide locations of GD, BAE, AM General, and other key manufacturers. He is currently working on variations of MRAP, JLTV, upgrades for the Bradley fighting vehicle, M-88 recovery vehicle, FMTV, and other platforms in the wiring and systems areas, plus portions of the future combat systems.