The Bradley Fighting Vehicle has undergone four major upgrades since its introduction in 1981 and now U.S. Army plans that this combat proven vehicle will receive a new track system.
According to recently notice on the U.S. government’s main contracting website, the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (CCDC) – Ground Vehicle Power and Mobility (GVPM) is conducting a market survey to identify potential sources with the expertise necessary to support the rapid modification of a Bradley vehicle from a metallic track solution to a segmented composite rubber track solution.
The future track systems for Bradley vehicle must be applicable and adaptable to the military environment, according to the notice. This environment includes extreme ambient operating conditions from -40°C to 60°C (-40° to 140° Fahrenheit), storage conditions of -51°C to 71°C (-60° to 160° Fahrenheit), as well as extreme shock and vibration.
The Bradley Fighting Vehicle is expected to include the ability to have the squat capability.
“If vehicle modification is required, please specify the required changes, the amount of time, and level of effort needed to make the system effective. Major lower hull modifications can be entertained, but minimizing modifications is a plus,” also added in the notice.
The current expectation is 6 road wheel stations, at a forecasted weight of 100,000 lbs. or 50 US tons, with as much as 20% growth margin.
