I have a question regarding wheeled vehicles having better IED protection than tracked vehicles. Wouldn't a tracked vehicle with pneumatic suspension have similar IED protection to a regular wheeled vehicle due to being just as high if the suspension is fully lifted up? It would obviously be more expensive and more complex maintenance-wise, but I am just wondering if that would help.
First current armor isn't designed with raising/lowering the hull in mind as an IED protection measure. The pneumatic suspension on a Stryker serves two functions, air ride stabilization at high speed and the ability to lower the vehicle to get crammed into a C-130.
Secondly the hull design for armor is generally straighter and flatter than wheeled, which is not a good thing for IED protection. The V hull or double V hull is necessary for multi tactic IED protection.
So to answer your question correctly, it is possible to design a tracked vehicle with as good IED protection as an equivalent wheeled vehicle, but it is cheaper to go wheeled at that point unless you are going to replace some system military wide.
there is also the Track it's self. a 6x6 or a 8x8 can loose a set of wheels and keep driving a continuous track would have to be replaced or repaired as that blast would likely break the track. unless you designed a vehicle with multiple track segments but, I Can't think of a single combat vehicle like that. Best option is and remains a mixed formation. Tracks for places where they are best suited Wheels for where they are best.
That was an informative article by AM. The twin efforts of Solomon and AM and all posters on these 2 platforms for the past couple of days have been informative.
And in the end all end up saying that there can never be a M35 Joint Strike Vehicle among other things.
I have a question regarding wheeled vehicles having better IED protection than tracked vehicles. Wouldn't a tracked vehicle with pneumatic suspension have similar IED protection to a regular wheeled vehicle due to being just as high if the suspension is fully lifted up? It would obviously be more expensive and more complex maintenance-wise, but I am just wondering if that would help.
ReplyDeleteFirst current armor isn't designed with raising/lowering the hull in mind as an IED protection measure. The pneumatic suspension on a Stryker serves two functions, air ride stabilization at high speed and the ability to lower the vehicle to get crammed into a C-130.
ReplyDeleteSecondly the hull design for armor is generally straighter and flatter than wheeled, which is not a good thing for IED protection. The V hull or double V hull is necessary for multi tactic IED protection.
So to answer your question correctly, it is possible to design a tracked vehicle with as good IED protection as an equivalent wheeled vehicle, but it is cheaper to go wheeled at that point unless you are going to replace some system military wide.
there is also the Track it's self. a 6x6 or a 8x8 can loose a set of wheels and keep driving a continuous track would have to be replaced or repaired as that blast would likely break the track. unless you designed a vehicle with multiple track segments but, I Can't think of a single combat vehicle like that. Best option is and remains a mixed formation. Tracks for places where they are best suited Wheels for where they are best.
DeleteThat was an informative article by AM. The twin efforts of Solomon and AM and all posters on these 2 platforms for the past couple of days have been informative.
ReplyDeleteAnd in the end all end up saying that there can never be a M35 Joint Strike Vehicle among other things.