Pentagon Seeks More Power From Vehicles

A strong argument could be made that given the recent innovations in ground-vehicle armor, and vehicle-mounted communications and sensor equipment brought about by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the U.S. military is in a “Golden Age” for tactical vehicles.

It’s jarring to think that just a few years ago, U.S. forces entered Iraq in thin-skinned, often doorless or roofless Humvees, vehicles that now seem more appropriate for museums than combat zones. The unforeseen needs of extra armor, especially underbelly armor to deflect roadside bombs, and the exponentially greater power-generation requirements of a force that increasingly relies on sensors and communications gear, has strained the fleet to its limits, and led to a revolution in vehicle technology.

Many of the changes this has spawned can be seen in two new development projects: the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV), envisioned as the battlefield replacement of the Humvee, and the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) All-Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV), an interim replacement for Humvees in the rugged terrain of Afghanistan until the JLTV is fielded in 2015.

But while the attention of the military and industry is fixed on these two designs, with their electronics, sturdier suspension systems, lightweight composite armor and increased payloads, Brig. Gen.