Army begin testing Humvee
The Army will begin testing a composite, nonmetal Humvee utility vehicle. The rototype vehicle’s frame and body is made of nonmetal composites — a combination of fiberglass, balsa wood, foam and carbon reinforcements; as a result the vehicle is 900 lbs. lighter than its conventional counterpart so it can carry extra armor to better protect soldiers
The body of the tan composite prototype has a sandpaper feel. The fenders are pliable and can be easily bent by hand, flipping back into place when released.
The chassis has extra carbon for added strength and stiffness, while other composite parts of the vehicle are lighter and more pliable.
The vehicle is the result of an 18-month research-and-development program with AM General Corp. and the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command, a laboratory for military automotive technology.
Posted on
09.21.2007 @ 23:07