'INTELLIGENT MOT' FOR MILITARY VEHICLES TO BOOST AVAILABILITY AND CUT COSTS
08 Sep 2009 | Ref. 155/2009
London, United Kingdom: Engineers from BAE Systems are working to create a pioneering system that will act as a round-the-clock MOT for military vehicles.
Able to detect faults in military vehicles before they cause damage, researchers are hopeful that it will save the Ministry of Defence billions of pounds each year.
The new system, named Integrated Vehicle Health Management (IVHM), will join together a chain of maintenance and support ideas for military vehicles and is being developed in partnership with Rolls Royce, Thales, Boeing and Cranfield University.
IVHM will monitor engines and vehicle structures via built-in sensors and will identify faults using mathematical reasoning in order to establish a diagnosis. This is then communicated to the maintenance crew, who will take relevant action to rectify the problem.
Peter Foote, Executive Scientist, at BAE Systems, said: "The current system of replacing parts on a rolling basis is no longer the safest and most efficient way. For some time now we have wanted to make the identification, diagnosis and repair of problems in vehicles more efficient and IVHM holds the key to this."
The full system is in early development stages, but key elements of IVHM are already being tested in defence vehicles – fault diagnostic tools are being trailed in the Tornado fighter jet, while the Hawk is using acoustic sensors to detect fatigue cracks. Basic health and usage monitoring systems are also already fitted to both Bulldog and Panther vehicles to provide vital information to support their ‘contracting for availability' support arrangements, which make industry more accountable for keeping the vehicles running.
BAE Systems expects the system to be in full use across military vehicles on land, sea and air within 5-10 years. It is set to be welcomed by senior military figures, as problems such as corrosion are estimated to cost the armed forces over a billion pounds a year to repair. The technology will not only save costs, but its ability to detect and diagnose faults before they cause damage will also help to guarantee availability of aircraft and armoured vehicles when they are needed most.
About BAE Systems
BAE Systems is the premier global defence, security and aerospace company delivering a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, security, information technology solutions and customer support services. With approximately 105,000 employees worldwide, BAE Systems' sales exceeded £18.5 billion (US $34.4 billion) in 2008.
For further information contact:
Kristina Crowe, Biss Lancaster
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7257 9821 Mob: +44 (0)7841 279859
kristina.crowe@bisslancaster.com
John Neilson, BAE Systems
Tel: + 44 (0) 1252 384795 Mob: + 44 (0)7802 337704
john.neilson@baesystems.com
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