CALL No. 04-13: OIF CAAT II Initial Impressions Report - Sustain the Force - LADS Improvements over M-85 Laundry Trailer

CALL Newsletter 04-13
Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF)
CAAT II Initial Impressions Report (IIR)

Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF)
CAAT II Initial Impressions Report (IIR)

Chapter 4: Combat Service Support
Topic C: Sustain the Force

Subtopic 2: Laundry Advanced System (LADS) Improvements over M-85 Laundry Trailer

Observation Synopsis

Although the fielding of the laundry advanced system (LADS) has had its technical difficulties, it still remains a vast improvement over its predecessor, the M-85 laundry trailer. The disadvantage of the M-85 laundry trailer was the enormous water consumption requirement. A LADS, through a distillation process, recycles water and creates less overall consumption. If both are working at their maximum capacity, LADS uses one-third the amount of water required by the M-85. The capability of LADS has increased laundry service capacity to support 3,500 Soldiers, or a brigade-size element, a two-thirds increase over the M-85. LADS is a highly engineered system, making maintenance at the user-level increasingly difficult for the average 92S MOS Soldier. Although the fielding of LADS has had minor technical difficulties at the user-level, it still remains a vast improvement over the M-85 laundry trailer.

Laundry Advanced System (LADS) Graphic.

Lessons Learned

LADS uses one-third the amount of water required by the M-85, a major advantage over the old system.
The capability of LADS has increased laundry service capacity to support 3,500 Soldiers, or a brigade-size element, a two-thirds increase over the M-85.
LADS is a highly engineered system, making maintenance at the user-level increasingly difficult for the average 92S MOS Solider.