SANTA CLARA, Calif., Aug. 17 (UPI) -- Global firm BAE Systems said it operated the first hybrid electric drive system for ground combat vehicles Wednesday.
The hybrid electric drive was being developed as part of the U.S. Army’s Future Combat Systems program, the company said.
"Creation of the hybrid electric drive system, led by BAE Systems, is a joint development with General Dynamics Land Systems in partnership with the Army and the FCS Lead Systems Integrator team of Boeing and Science Applications International Corp.," BAE Systems said in a statement Wednesday.
"The FCS Manned Ground Vehicles family of eight vehicles is the first ever planned operational Army suite of ground combat vehicles to use hybrid electric technology. The first use of the hybrid electric drive technology will be in the Non-Line-of-Sight Cannon -- the lead FCS ground combat vehicle slated to begin initial production in 2008," the company said.
"The NLOS-C, designed and built by BAE Systems -- in partnership with General Dynamics Land Systems -- is a fully automated, 155mm self-propelled howitzer," it said.
BAE said Wednesday's test in Santa Clara was "the first evaluation of the complete MGV hybrid electric system consisting of the engine, generator, generator dissipater controller, traction drive system, energy storage system, and cooling subsystem."
"The hybrid electric drive is the cornerstone of integrated power management designed to meet the demands of future ground combat vehicles in a networked environment while allowing the tailoring of power and cooling dictated by the mission," it said.
Hugo Croft, vice president, FCS and Advanced Programs at BAE Systems, said the new hybrid electric drive system would provide "improved fuel economy and a resultant reduction in the Army’s logistics footprint. Its advanced energy storage, electric traction drive, power generation, regenerative braking, and integrated power management technology all serve to provide our war fighter’s increased performance and unprecedented flexibility.”
Dennis Muilenburg, vice president and general manager, Boeing Combat Systems, and FCS program manager, said the new system would "require less fuel than current force vehicles and lower overall maintenance costs."
