By Ann Roosevelt
FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla.–The Army is considering its options to see if new vehicles are needed to tow and/or repair a Stryker or Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) when it breaks down, or gets mired in mud, or if it needs to be pulled upright if an explosive has blown it onto its side.
General Dynamics [GD], Oshkosh Truck Corp. [OSK] and BAE Systems all unveiled early version vehicles with mission packages consisting of cranes and heavy duty winches at the Association of the United States Army winter symposium here.
“One of the issues is whether separate recovery vehicles are needed for Stryker and MRAP,” Lt. Gen. William Mortensen, Army Materiel Command (AMC) deputy commanding general, told Defense Daily.
Right now there is no validated requirement or Operational Need Statement to move the vehicles into the acquisition process, even though deployed soldiers would like to see them in the field, he said.
Lt. Col. Peter Fuller, deputy commander of AMC’s Research, Development Engineering Command (RDECOM), says the Army has a requirement to recover Strykers and MRAPs that is now being fulfilled in the field by the systems available–the 35 ton KBR [KBR] wrecker, the BAE M88 and Hercules and the HEMETT wreckers.
“The [convention floor] displays have potential if a unit puts in a request for Rapid Equipping Force assistance,” Fuller said. Such a request would trigger evaluation and testing for a vehicle.
An Operational Need Statement follows a specified path up the chain through Multinational Corps-Iraq through U.S. Central Command, to the Joint Staff and the Army, and then through the formal acquisition process.
The challenge has been that recovery systems in theater do not offer a complete capability. Another challenge is to get the requirement validated. In essence, “the units make do,” he said.
Fuller is the milestone decision authority for the Rapid Equipping Force–the rapid acquisition element–for items that cost more than $1 million per unit, or the individual cost, not the total cost. With approval, the REF would buy the vehicle or equipment and get it to test.
An advantage for the REF is that a unit can submit a “10 liner,” Fuller said. It is similar to an Operational Need Statement, but the unit validates it themselves and it doesn’t go through the long staffing process.
The traditional validated requirement process wends through the Army Resource Requirements Board, moves into the budget and Program Objective Memorandum process and becomes a program under the purview of a program manager.
General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada unveiled its pre-production Stryker Maintenance Recovery Vehicle (MRV) here. The MRV is an existing Stryker vehicle with a mission package, assembled in four months with the company’s money.
The MRV is equipped with a heavy 55,000-pound driveline, to be able pull, steer, and brake the weight, Steve Child, General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada area manager for Advanced Projects, said. The Magnum 210 crane is able to lift and remove a fully armored Stryker Mobile Gun System turret and clear the slat armor, Child said. The MRV, with two rear stabilizer legs, can lift similar weights from other vehicles, such as an Abrams tank engine. A wireless remote means it can be operated beyond the line of sight.
The ballistic steel Earth Anchor in front of the MRV has integrated pintle mounts and hydraulic up, down and float modes to hold the vehicle still while pulling another out of the mire. The vehicle has pulled a HEMETT truck, howitzer and M88 recovery vehicle out of the muck. It can also pull out an Abrams tank, or right a vehicle on its side. The rear pintle has been upgraded to 10,000 pounds. Depending on the situation, the MRV could tow vehicles such as Abrams tanks. The Rotzler TR 200 winch has a synthetic, lightweight, high strength rope, Child said. If it fails, it simply collapses and drops. “We had a failure, the interweave just stretched, came back and coiled a little. In 15 minutes it was repaired and ready.”
The company relocated the commander behind the driver for closer communication, also allowing space for casualties. There is a Remote Weapons Station for self-protection and slat and reactive tile armor could be mounted as required, he said.
BAE debuted its first demonstrator Mine Resistant Recovery and Maintenance Vehicle (MRRMV) here as well, with an integrated crane and 22-ton winch and 40-ton recovery winch. The MRRMV is designed to speed and enhance MRAP retrieval and repair Medium Mine Protected Vehicles (MMPV) and other medium tactical vehicles in combat situations.
“This is the newest variant of the RG-33L MRAP,” Rajesh Pathak, program manager, Recovery & Maintenance Vehicles, said. The MMRV has a V-shaped hull and armor protection and has a full recovery capability. For mechanics, there is on-board welding and cutting capability, tools and spare parts for battle damage repair. There are cameras in the rear and lights, for situational awareness.
The MRRMV is capable of up righting, winching and towing all MRAP, MMPV and Stryker class vehicles.
The MRRMV has a two-man crew and has space to carry two recovered crew.
Oshkosh revealed a mock-up of a Palletized Load System Recovery Vehicle (PLS/R) is built on the existing PLS vehicle, with a Tru-Hitch system that is already in the Army inventory. Flat towing and lifting and towing operations are performed by a fifth wheel towing recovery device, which can also be set as a high mobility recovery trailer. PLS/R has winching space caps for a stable platform, and uses a Rotzler TR-80 winch. The integrated articulated crane is from Iowa Mold Tooling Inc. “While there is no written requirement document, it’s apparent in theater there’s a need for such a vehicle,” said Joaquin Salas, Oshkosh Defense Marketing Communications.