FOUO

Ground Vehicle Survivability

Mr. Steve Knott
April 15, 2008

FOUO
 The Integrated Survivability “Onion”

Don’t Be Seen
Don’t Be
Acquired
Don’t Be
Penetrated
Don’t
Be Hit

Don’t Be
Killed
2
 Research Focus Areas

Low
Low Observables
Observables
Signature
Signature
Management
Management
Tactics
Tactics Jammers
Jammers
Obscurants
Obscurants
Mounted
Mounted Weapons
Weapons
Electronic
Electronic
EO
EO Countermeasures
Countermeasures
Signature
Signature Countermeasures
Countermeasures
Management
Management
Active
Active Protection
Protection Sensors
Sensors

Active/
Active/ Active
Active Protection
Protection
Passive
Passive Armor
Armor

Fire
Suppression Detection
Detection
Laser
Spall
Protection Acquisition
Acquisition
Liners
Hit
Hit
Penetrate
Penetrate
Kill
Kill

3
 Our Mission

Design for Survivability

It’s about balancing

integration, mission, threat & technology
4
 Research Focus Areas Taxonomy

Ground Vehicle Survivability

Hit Signature Damage

Structures Armor Reduction
Avoidance management

Threat Infrared Fire Laser

Opaque Transparent Detection Suppression Protection
RADAR
Glass Fixed
Passive Threat Detect
Visual Wavelength
Identification
Energetic and Tracking
Plastics Agile Wavelength
Acoustic Extinguish
Metallics
Interlayers Countermeasure Higher Powers &
Selection Agent Varying Pulse
Ceramics Lengths

Frame Deploy
Control & Protection
Composites Components Countermeasure
Distribution Integration While
Minimizing
Integration Performance
Threat Defeat Impact

Sensors

5
 Survivability – Technology
Research Gaps
Start of Test

Predictive analysis of blast

events – structures & crew
Lightweight multiple-hit
armor
Multifunctional signature End of Test
materials (visual, thermal
RF, acoustic)

Mechanisms that switch

high to very low optical
transmission in a fraction
of a nanosecond, and
operate at all visible and
near IR wavelengths. Predictive analysis for Active
M&S for high velocity impact
Protection systems
on ceramic/composites

Predictive M&S - visual

detection model
Developing
countermeasures
to defeat full-
External fire extinguishing spectrum threat
munitions
systems and agents

6
 TARDEC Success Stories

– Armor panel manufacturing

– Resin/binder analysis
– Vehicle structural beam construction
– Structural beam testing (environmental / durability)
– Armor ballistic testing
– Active protection system, systems engineering
– Active protection system event modeling
– Vehicle fuel tank research
– Ceramic transparent armor research
– Blast mitigation research