USA TODAY August 24, 2005
Designs in motion for new combat vehicles
By Steven Komarow
Now, as the Pentagon speeds its search for a Humvee replacement, those basics — along with better armor — still count. But the modern military, like American motorists, wants vehicles laden with electronics, air conditioning and other options now considered critical to battlefield performance.
Not only must the Humvee replacement better defend troops from bomb blasts, it must:
•Support built-in computers and Global Positioning System and communications gear, instead of the welded-on brackets and tangles of wires in Humvees.
•Allow streamlined maintenance procedures, such as electronic engine diagnosis and easier repairs with fewer tools.
•Produce enough electricity not only for its own systems, but for powering future add-ons, such as energy-beam weapons or field command posts.
•Have built-in fire extinguishing systems.
Some of these concepts are finding their way onto the Humvee chassis, which will continue to serve for years after a successor begins to arrive as early as 2008, said Lt. Col. Stuart Rogers, transportation division chief of the Army Combined Arms Support Center. If none of the competing prototype replacements is successful in tests starting next year, Humvee production could continue indefinitely.
The military owns more than 120,000 Humvees, and thousands more were bought by other countries. The vehicle comes in dozens of configurations, including ambulances, anti-tank missile launchers and satellite ground stations.
Craig MacNab, director of public relations for the manufacturer, AM General, says his company has designed a new generation Humvee. "The original design of the Humvee was a revolutionary concept," he says, and has been improved continuously.
Recent versions include a Humvee with a hybrid-electric drivetrain for improved mileage and the ability to run almost silently for tactical surprise.
Competitors on the new vehicle say technology has moved on since Humvee design work began in 1979. "With the Humvee, if you want to generate power out there, you've got to bring along a trailer," says Roy Wiley, spokesman for International Truck and Engine. International's drive train would double as a standing generator, he says.
The Office of Naval Research is sponsoring for the Marines a concept vehicle called the Ultra Armored Patrol at Georgia Tech. The Ultra, to be unveiled next month, includes a NASCAR-inspired "blast bucket" inner shell to protect troops. Jeff Bradel, the ONR's vehicle project officer, says the Humvee was designed as a utility vehicle first, but the next generation must be armored from the start.
Rogers says it's too early to say what the Humvee successor would cost. A basic Humvee is about $75,000 now, but armor and other Iraq necessities more than double the price.
Vehicle Evolution
U.S. military vehicles' past, present and future:
The jeep
- First used during World War II; entered into service in 1941
- Could be adapted to pump air or water, haul a half-ton or cross water up to 40 inches deep
- Used for reconnaissance and cross-country travel
- Name is believed to be an abbreviation of "general purpose" vehicle
The Humvee
- Short for High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, or HMMWV
- Entered into service in 1985
- Capable of supporting payloads up to 5,300 pounds, depending on model
- Can be transported by and dropped from aircraft
- Can be configured to carry troops, arms or shelter
Military leaders are looking for a Humvee replacement that includes:
- More protection for troops
- A stronger suspension that can bear the weight of armor
- Better mileage
- Improved onboard power to handle an expanding array of electronics
Sources: National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, GlobalSecurity.org and USA TODAY research
© Copyright 2005, USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.
