Heavy add-on-armor installed on the Bradley Fighting Vehicle has degraded the vehicles mobility performance. Vehicle acceleration has declined to 80% of its original capability. To cost effectively modernize the mobility system, the final drive torque capacity must be significantly increased to maintain the current package space. Loc Performance Products, Inc., the Armys provider of robust, reliable final drives for its tracked fleet, proposes to develop a modernized Bradley Final Drive using its MaxTorQD technology. Locs final drive will transmit up to 60% more torque, improve efficiency, reduce weight, and provide the option for a Quick Disconnect function that simplifies towing and maintenance operations. Loc proposes to focus Phase I efforts on quantifying requirements with the platform integrator, assess the feasibility of new promising technologies that include stronger materials and diffusion processing methods, provide a bench top demonstration of its Quick Disconnect technology, and develop 3 or more conceptual approaches for Phase II research. A quantitative method will be used to rank multiple concepts and recommend the approach for Phase II that offers best value for the Bradley platform, technology advancement, and transferability of technology to other Army platforms, the wind industry, and the oil and gas exploration industry.
Keywords: Gearbox, Torque Density, Power Density, Final Drive, Quick Disconnect, Safety, Reliability, Manufacturing Technology
