TARDEC Displays Commitment to Joint Expeditionary Army at AUSA Winter Symposium

FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla., Feb. 16, 2005 -- The U.S. Army's Tank- Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) and its National Automotive Center (NAC) will showcase several vehicle technologies designed to support military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and South Asia this week at the 2005 Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Winter Symposium and Exhibition. Highlights will include a new vehicle-based water generation and purification unit, the Army Mobile Parts Hospital (MPH), two alternative energy vehicles and vehicle survivability systems.

"TARDEC collaborates with each of the Armed Services, Coalition Forces, the Acquisition and Logistics communities and private industry to increase vehicle survivability and battlefield mobility in support of our Joint Expeditionary Army," said Dr. Richard McClelland, director of TARDEC. "Our military vehicle technology programs are aimed at reducing logistics while maximizing our expeditionary Army's mobility."

TARDEC's two new water-on-the-battlefield initiatives will deliver dependable sources of potable water to Soldiers. The Water Recovery Unit from Exhaust (WRUE) technology recovers potable water from engine emissions by condensing the water from exhaust gas and purifying it through a three-stage filtration process. The Water Recovery Unit from Air (WRUA) technology can be integrated into other military systems, or serve as a source of standalone water for up to a dozen Soldiers at a time.

The Army's Mobile Parts Hospital (MPH) is the automotive equivalent to the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) unit, providing treatment to a vehicle so its crew is protected and can finish the mission. Two deployable modules, the Rapid Manufacturing Module (RMM) and the Lathe Manufacturing Module (LMM), make up the Rapid Manufacturing System (RMS). The Rapid Manufacturing Module (RMM) is able to create a fully dense metal automotive part, replacing the need for bar stock in the field. Once a part is built "near net-shape" in the Directed Material Deposition (DMD(TM)) machine, it goes to the LMM for final finishing and dimensioning. The Rapid Manufacturing System (RMS) modules are supported by the Command and Control Center (C3), which houses the technical data packages in a product data manager called Windchill(TM), and is also the link for direct communication between the RMS modules and Agile Manufacturing Cell (AMC). The MPH has been deployed and is currently helping to maintain vehicles in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

"When a vehicle breaks down in a war zone, a Soldier cannot afford to wait weeks or months for the part needed," said Dennis Wend, executive director of TARDEC's National Automotive Center. "The MPH is designed to put our brave men and women back into the field in days -- if not hours -- by efficiently manufacturing replacement parts from technical data, computer numeric control code or reverse engineering through laser point technologies."

Highlighting the NAC's alternative energy initiatives, TARDEC will showcase a fuel-cell battery hybrid Alternative Mobility Vehicle developed in concert with Quantum Technologies, and the hybrid American Chariot Personal Transport Vehicle, which is designed to move personnel around large military bases, airfields, warehouse facilities and large naval vessels.

Other TARDEC technologies that will be on display at the AUSA Winter Symposium include:

  * Full Spectrum Active Protection Close-in Layered Shield (FCLAS), which
    is a developmental short range survivability system for ground and
    tactical vehicles designed to help defeat Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG)
    attacks;

  * "88 Mike," a developmental software program that can help improve
    vehicle sustainability and reduce maintenance costs through talking to
    vehicle telematics and back-end systems; and

  * A Human Factors Mini-Motion Base Simulator, which can give Soldiers the
    virtual experience of driving a real vehicle over real terrain.

TARDEC, headquartered at the Detroit Arsenal, Warren, Mich., is the nation's laboratory for advanced military automotive technology. TARDEC's mission is to research, develop, engineer, leverage and integrate advanced technology into ground systems and support equipment throughout the life cycle. TARDEC's 1,100 associates develop and maintain vehicles for all U.S. Armed Forces, many federal agencies and more than 60 foreign countries. TARDEC pushes the state-of-the-art in programs including power and energy, advanced collaborative environments, robotics, electric drive and embedded simulation to provide the Army with the materiel solutions it demands. TARDEC leads several Army Future Force science and technology efforts -- collaborating with the Army's combat developers -- to ensure we field robust equipment that meets aggressive cost, schedule and performance standards.

TARDEC's National Automotive Center is the Army's official link to commercial industry, academia and government in developing dual-use automotive technologies that meet the needs of both defense and commercial industries. Together, they lead the way in providing our Soldiers vehicles and vehicle technologies that will increase survivability and ensure mobility on the battlefield while reducing design, manufacturing, operations and maintenance costs.