Company insight
Composite rubber tracks are the future
Tracked vehicles have been popular across military operations for over a century – but with the introduction of Composite Rubber Tracks, debate continues about what tracks to use. Defence and Security Systems International talks to Ryan Black at Soucy Group to learn more, and explore why composite rubber track might be the way forward.
times, however, an increasing number of vehicles are being shipped with composite rubber track (CRT) instead. A complex and composite material, CRT offers a number of advantages over steel alternatives, cutting maintenance times and allowing troops and their vehicles to go the distance.
S Low maintenance
Up to a point, the long-standing popularity of ST vehicles makes sense. Tough and durable, the alloy provides excellent traction over dirt and other loose surfaces. But for Ryan Black, ST comes with a number of problems – especially around maintenance. As the business development manager at Soucy Defence begins, fixing complex ST tracks can take an entire day. This can have a severe real-world impact: from replacing pads to retorquing end connectors, upwards of 20% of a military’s vehicle fleet risks being unavailable at any given time. Given steel tracks typically have a lifespan of around 1,500km, moreover, troops will likely have to perform three such replacements during the life of the track. Just as importantly, the problems of ST can limit the range and performance of vehicles in the field. In theory, so-called Robotic Combat Vehicles (RCVs) allow militaries to cover large distances without putting soldiers in the firing line.
But their limited lifespan means
that STs risk stranding RCVs far from base, forcing crews to venture out and repair them. It hardly helps that ST maintenance is so time-consuming – and
Cultural shifts
Combined with a range of strengthening techniques – carbon nanotubes, carbon fibre and steel cords – CRT is robust
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teel tracks (ST) have long been the traditional choice for armoured fighting vehicles. Over more recent
that heavy replacement pads, weighing 30% of the total track, can be hard to integrate into mobile forces. With these limitations in mind, however, it makes sense that militaries should be increasingly eager to secure an alternative to ST – with CRT an obvious candidate. In large part, its rising popularity is down to the design of CRT itself. As the name implies, composite rubber tracks aren’t entirely made of rubber. About half is, with the rest formed of steel and composite. This inherent malleability, at any rate, means CRT can be conceived as a single-piece technology, with the entire track boasting a unified and continuously cased rubber structure. This elegant structure translates into how CRT is maintained. As Black puts it: “The maintenance on CRT is easy – because there is none.” Lacking the pads and connectors of steel alternatives, he explains that the only ‘maintenance’ composite rubber tracks require are visual checks before and after use. According to one UK study, investing in CRT can save over 400 man-hours of maintenance work per vehicle, an advantage compounded by the fact that CRT can survive for around 5,000km without being replaced.
And when they do finally need to be changed, the research suggests that CRT can be swapped out in less than half the time of ST, ensuring RCVs and other military vehicles go the distance whatever the operation – even as the relative lightness of CRT means spares can be transported with ease.
enough to withstand battlefield conditions. Certainly, Black has noticed these changes themselves, explaining that since joining Soucy in 2017, the manufacturing output at the company has increased by 200%. Even so, CRT is a developing technology, and adoption requires careful planning. As far as maintenance is concerned, for instance, some industry insiders worry that as a single-piece technology, any damage is much harder to fix than with modular ST. Black appreciates these concerns, but suggests that a “culture change” is necessary to overcome them. As he points out, track changes would rarely happen in the heat of battle anyway, arguing that just like their disabled steel-tracked cousins, CRT vehicles can easily be towed to safety, at which point soldiers can replace the tracks at speed. Then there’s the question of cost. At the moment, CRT is slightly more expensive than steel alternatives in the first instance. But from low maintenance to better reliability, there’s increasing evidence that switching to rubber can save buyers money overall. In a broader sense, moreover, Black argues that CRT will become increasingly important across a range of operations. Highlighting the so-called ‘Four Ds’ of military supply chain management – destination, distance, demand and duration – he suggests that reliable, long-lasting CRT can offer advantages to the “logistical domain” no matter how complex the mission. ●
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