CA2659086C

CA2659086C - Protection device for military support vehicle

Info

Publication number: CA2659086C
Application number: CA2659086A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Ralf Bruhn; Manfred Kruetzfeldt
Original assignee: Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH
Current assignee: Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH
Priority date: 2006-07-24
Filing date: 2007-07-07
Publication date: 2015-04-21
Anticipated expiration: 2027-07-07
Also published as: EP2044382A1; WO2008011975A1; KR101441704B1; KR20090041412A; DE102006034689A1; EP2044382B1; ES2394810T3; CA2659086A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a protection device for a military vehicle (1) which is used as a support vehicle and can carry out all engineering and maintenance work, said device comprising a chassis (4) as the base of the different types of vehicle and a crew cell (3) for receiving the crew (2).
Said crew cell (3) has a high surrounding ballistic protection consisting of an adapted mine protection plate (41) in the region of the crew cell (3), a hood (5) which surrounds the crew cell on the sides and the top and has a lateral adaptive protection (51) and a roof protection (52), and an additional armour-plating (32) in the outer region of the crew cell (3). The chassis (4) and the undercarriage region (42) are protected only against a ground threat.

Description

ak 02659086 2013-01-14 DESCRIPTION
PROTECTION DEVICE FOR MILITARY SUPPORT VEHICLE
The invention relates to a protection device for a medium-heavy military support vehicle.
Medium-heavy military support vehicles are designed for the support of wheeled and tracked military vehicles in the weight classes 25t to 45t and provided as a working device for engineering troops. These support vehicles are divided into at least four categories: the maintenance, bridge, engineering and mine-sweeping versions.
According to the known mission doctrines, in addition to the classic mission scenarios such as attack and position situations, the medium-heavy support vehicles are used increasingly in, among other things, peacekeeping actions in which these vehicles are also exposed 360 to a ballistic threat and also endangered by antitank and personnel mines and by explosive drops. This fact would require protection all around the vehicle. However, these vehicles are also subject to the requirement that they be loadable by air.
Embodiments of the invention relate to a protection concept with the help of which the demand for protection of the crew and also the air loadability of the vehicle is met.
According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a protection device for a military vehicle which functions as a support vehicle and can carry out engineering and recovery operations, comprising a chassis as a base for the military vehicle and a crew cell for accommodating a crew, wherein the ak 02659086 2014-04-07 la crew cell is separated from a hydraulic region or an undercarriage region, the crew cell has a high ballistic, all-around protection consisting of a. a mine protection plate fitted under the chassis and the crew cell, b. a hood which surrounds the crew cell on the sides and the top, with adaptive side protection and roof protection, and c. an additional armour plating on the top side of the crew cell, the chassis and the undercarriage region are plated to protect against a ground threat.
The invention is based on the idea to provide at least the area on the vehicle having adapted protection on all sides which is used to accommodate a crew. The other areas receive minimal protection la vehicle and a crew cell for accommodating a crew, wherein the crew cell is strictly separated from a hydraulic area or a chassis area, the crew cell has a high ballistic, all-around protection consisting of a. a mine protection plate fitted in proximity to the crew cell, b. a hood which surrounds the crew cell on the sides and the top, with adaptive side protection and roof protection, and c. an additional armour plating on the outside of the crew cell, and the chassis and an undercarriage region are protected against a ground threat.
The invention is based on the idea to provide at least the area on the vehicle having adapted protection on all sides which is used to accommodate a crew. The other areas receive minimal protection =

2 which is designed for a ground threat.
A feature of an embodiment of the present invention is a separate, uncoupled and self-contained crew cell. A mine protection plate is . adapted under the hull floor of the chassis in the area of the crew cell.
Furthermore, the cell is strictly separate from the hydraulic or undercarriage region. The endangerment of the crew by possible explosions of combustible liquids is minimized by this measure. In the outer region, the crew cell is furnished with an additional armour plating (add-on-armour). Reactive and/or active protection modules are also provided against small antitank weapons or directional mines with horizontal action.
The crew cell is 'furnished with a liner on the inside which, on the one hand, reduces the fragmentation cone of a ballistic penetration and, on the other hand, acts in a body soundproofing and heat-insulating manner.
Furthermore, the crew cell and/or the chassis can be equipped with reactive and active protection modules against small antitank weapons and directional mines having horizontal action.
The crew cell is mounted in the undercarriage by suitable supports.
Similar designs are already known from DE 196 53 283 Cl, DE 10 2004 026 237 Al and DE 10 2004 006 819 Al. By means of these supports, shock stresses from mine or bomb detonations are released and vibration stresses and body sound stresses minimized.
Furthermore, the crew cell has sufficiently large viewing window and corner mirrors for a direct view outward and, in addition, electronic visual means, such as day and night vision cameras or sensors. Further cameras and sensors on vehicles serve to transmit sufficient information to the crew about the near-by surroundings (similar to civil vehicle construction).
The viewing windows are designed as PZ compound glass against the

3 corresponding threat and have a laser protection filter to protect the crew's eyes against undesirable laser light. Lowerable or foldable blinds are also provided which, on the one hand, form an additional ballistic protection and can be used against fragments but can, on the other hand, be used as passive protection when the crew room is to be darkened. Of course, in addition, the blinds are also used to prevent reflective light reflections on the windshield surface.
Furthermore, a type of intercom system is to be installed in the vehicle in order to prevent the crew from having to open a door or hatch when making contact with unknown persons.
The seats for the crew are installed in the crew cell in such a way that they satisfy the requirements of stress reduction during mine wringing and satisfy the vibration releases.
The seats are provided with hold-back systems and corresponding head supports.
In addition, the crew has, preferably, at least one hatch in the roof area and a door, preferably at the rear of the crew cell.
Furthermore, the crew cell contains protective effects and air purifying systems against an ABC threat and air-conditioning for the crew's space. This makes it possible to keep the physiological stresses of the crew low.
In addition to the protection against a ground threat for survival of the system, the chassis has a closed hydraulic area in which parts of the fuel system can be housed. Hydraulic compartment and engine compartment, in turn, each have a fire-extinguishing system.
Fire-wire sensors are installed in the suction region of the engine cooling system which switch the cooler fan off when there is an external fire.

4 Active protective measures are a further formation on the vehicle.
They comprise, for example, a smoke mortar system as well as a manual or remote-controlled arms system. Interfering transmitters have the duty to release explosive drops far in front of the vehicle.
In addition to suitable camouflage nets, camouflage kits are also provided as passive protective measures, said camouflage kits reducing or greatly altering the optical, IR and radar signatures.
In addition, the engine exhaust fumes and the cooling air are eliminated shielded at the back on the vehicle tail. Additional air foils, back vents and insulations ensure that the hot gases are shielded vis-à-vis the vehicle structure. The particles in the exhaust gases of the engine can be minimized by suitable measures inside the engine and/or filters.
The engineer tank is furnished with an excavating unit with a quick-change system and enables, as in all activities, a change of the tools under armoured protection. Bulldozing and mine-sweeping operations are also only conducted under armoured protection. The maintenance vehicle is provided with a combat field maintenance device which enables damaged vehicles to be maintained under armoured protection. The bridge-laying tank is also designed for laying out and accommodating modular bridge parts. These vehicle designs can often also be combined with one another. The so-called universal support vehicle thus unites the essential features of maintenance, engineering and mine-sweeping versions. The bridge-laying version is formed by modifying the base structure in the roof construction and arrangement of the crew's space.
An identical chassis is used as basis for different types of vehicles.
A design of this type is also known from EP 0 974 510 Al.
The invention will be described in greater detail with reference to an example of an embodiment with drawings, showing:
Fig. 1 protection devices on the vehicle, view from the front left, Fig. 2 protection devices on the vehicle, view from the rear right, Fig. 3 protection devices on the vehicle, exploded illustration.
Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 show a universal-type support vehicle 1. In this embodiment, it is designed as a mine-sweeping and evacuation vehicle. The vehicle 1 is operated by a crew 2 in a crew cell 3.
The closed crew cell 3 is uncoupled on a chassis 4 by means of suitable elements.
The crew cell 3 has viewing windows 31 consisting of PZ compound glass and additional armour platings 32. Furthermore, the crew cell 3 has a roof exit 33 and/or a rear exit 34. The crew cell 3 has an air purifying system 35 against ABC threats and a crew space air conditioner 35. In addition, the crew cell 3 is surrounded by a hood which, on the one hand, accommodates the lateral adative protection 52 and the roof protection 52. A commander's cupola and a weapon station 54 is mounted on the hood 5. In addition, a smoke mortar system 55 can be adapted on the hood 5 or on the weapon station 54. Alternatively, it is possible to attach it to the vehicle chassis 4. High-explosive shells can also be fired with the smoke mortar system 55.
The viewing windows 31 can be protected by flap shutters. In this case, the crew also has an adequate view by means of the corner mirror 38.

A mine protection plate 41 is adapted below the chassis 4 in the region of the crew cell 3. The undercarriage region 42 can be covered at the front, rear and on the side by means of chain guards 43.
Fig. 3 shows the crew cell 3, raised from the chassis 4, in an exploded illustration. The hood 5, adaptive protection 51 and roof protection 52 can also be seen.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A protection device for a military vehicle which functions as a support vehicle and can carry out engineering and recovery operations, comprising a chassis as a base for the military vehicle and a crew cell for accommodating a crew, wherein - the crew cell is separated from a hydraulic region or an undercarriage region, - the crew cell has a high ballistic, all-around protection consisting of a. a mine protection plate fitted under the chassis and the crew cell, b. a hood which surrounds the crew cell on the sides and the top, with adaptive side protection and roof protection, and c. an additional armour plating on the top side of the crew cell, - the chassis and the undercarriage region are plated to protect against a ground threat.

2. The protection device according to claim 1, wherein the crew cell is uncoupled from the vehicle chassis as a self-contained unit and minimizes at least one of shock, vibration and sound waves.

3. The protection device according to claim 2, wherein the crew cell is mounted in the chassis.

4. The protection device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the crew cell has at least one of a hatch in the roof area and a door at the rear.

5. The protection device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the crew cell is furnished with a liner/insulating material on the inside.

6. The protection device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the crew cell and the chassis are furnished with at least one of reactive and active protection modules.

7. The protection device according to any one of the claims 1 to 6, wherein the crew cell has at least one of viewing windows and corner mirrors which are sufficiently large.

8. The protection device according to claim 7, wherein at least one of the viewing windows and the corner mirrors are equipped with laser protection filters.

9. The protection device according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the viewing windows can be protected via lowerable or foldable blinds.

10. The protection device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein a manually or remote-controlled weapon system and at least one smoke mortar system can be adapted on the hood.

11. The protection device according to claim 10, wherein the smoke mortar system can be adapted to a weapon station.

12. The protection device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the crew has electronic visual aids and monitors as well as cameras and sensors at its disposal.

13. The protection device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the vehicle is equipped with an intercom system.

14. The protection device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the chassis has a closed hydraulic area with an integrated fire-extinguishing system, said hydraulic area being separate from the crew cell.

15. The protection device according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the chassis has an engine compartment with an integrated fire-extinguishing system, fire-wire sensors being integrated in suction regions of an engine cooling system.

16. The protection device according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the vehicle has a standard spot camouflage paint with properties that reduce the IR signature as well as suitable camouflage nets.

17. The protection device according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein cooling baffles are used for rear ventilation and insulation, as a result of which engine gases and cooling air are shielded at the rear of the vehicle.

18. The protection device according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein a radar-echo reduced design is provided at least in a rear region, in an area of working devices and equipment on a back of the vehicle and in a region of the tracks and undercarriage.