BAE Systems yesterday said it successfully completed 2,000 miles of testing of its Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV) Hybrid Electric Drive (HED) system on a fully integrated “Hotbuck” mobility platform, a significant milestone for the Army’s GCV program.
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| GCV Hotbuck Testing Photo: BAE Systems |
The Hotbuck is a stationary, state-of-the-art test stand that simulates real-life environments and terrain and puts actual miles on the HED system.
Under BAE’s own rigorous timeline, the testing was completed four months ahead of schedule.
“This testing achievement is a significant advancement in the overall GCV program,” Mark Signorelli, vice president and general manager of Armored Combat Systems at BAE said. “With actual hardware to show, this puts the BAE Systems team ahead of schedule both now and in the next phase of the program, saving the customer development time and money. Our primary objective was to test our hybrid electric technology over time against realistic environments, and the successful completion of the testing is a testament to the quality and maturity of the technology.”
BAE and General Dynamics [GD] were awarded a contract for the Technology Development (TD) phase of the GCV program in August 2011. TD work is scheduled to be complete by June 2014. Currently, the Army plans to select one contractor in fiscal year 2014 for the engineering and manufacturing development of the program (Defense Daily, May 24).
Both companies are moving toward GCV Critical Design Reviews slated for this fall.
Developing and testing actual hardware was not a program requirement for the GCV TD phase, but BAE chose to take the initiative to demonstrate the fuel efficiency and performance of a hybrid system for the Army’s next infantry fighting vehicle.
The Hotbuck integrates HED components that will be used in BAE’s GCV offering including the traction drive system, thermal systems, engines, generators, controllers and software. Conducted at the BAE’s Santa Clara, Calif. facility, the 2,000-mile advanced testing precisely replicated conditions at two well-known military test tracks. The results of the tests further validated the performance, efficiency and maturity of the HED technology applied in BAE’s GCV design, marking a significant milestone for the TD phase of the program.
The HED system in BAE’s GCV offering will contribute to: the availability of high torque at any ground speed resulting in greater agility, greater acceleration and maneuverability than a comparable mechanical system; up to 20 percent less fuel consumption than a conventionally powered GCV, reducing overall costs and the number of fuel convoys; availability of electrical power to incorporate new battlefield technology for the next 30 to 40 years; and 40 percent fewer parts than a comparable mechanical drive system, requiring less maintenance and decreasing vehicle lifetime cost.