Textron Marine & Land Systems (TM&LS) [TXT] said it was awarded a $3.39 million firm-fixed price Army contract for work on the Modernized Expanded Capacity Vehicle Survivability (MECV-S) system.
TM&LS is teaming with Granite Tactical Vehicles to deliver innovative crew protection and vehicle survivability enhancements for the Army’s High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (Humvee) vehicles. The program’s follow-on potential is for work on up to 5,750 vehicles.
The Army is seeking technical solutions to address current and future threats to its Humvee tactical vehicle fleet through the use of scalable armor technologies.
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| Textron/Granite capsule equipped vehicle (Left) Next To gov HMMWV |
The TM&LS/Granite team will install its MECV-S protection system, a production-ready Technology Readiness Level 8 system, on two government-furnished Humvees and deliver them this summer to Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., for IED testing. Computer Aided Design models also will be submitted for analysis.
“Our TM&LS/Granite MECV-S solution would replace the current HMMWV crew compartment in a one-for-one exchange. It offers vehicle occupants an armored monocoque V-hull protective capsule and restores the vehicle’s tactical mobility with proven components,” said TM&LS Senior Vice President and General Manager Tom Walmsley.
The lightweight, highly-survivable TM&LS/Granite vehicle protection system possesses a lower center of gravity than an up-armored HMMWV and is resistant to small arms fire, blasts and the secondary effects of blasts such as fire, crushing, rollover and collision. It is compatible with all versions of Humvees currently in service and provides MRAP-style protection by incorporating angles and a V-shaped blast deflection under-body plate.
A system that is easily supported and maintained, the Textron/Granite solution also retains all of the original Humvee cab’s characteristics by utilizing existing controls, linkages and drive system.