Land systems
Maintaining
ilitary vehicles are the backbone of any armed force – and their reliability is paramount to mission success. Yet without proper maintenance, even the most advanced combat vehicles can soon become liabilities. This is particularly true in the US Army, where many maintenance models have remained largely unchanged for decades. Consider, for instance, how the Pentagon maintains its M1 Abrams tanks. Following a rigid, time-based schedule, army engineers still look to a system dating back to 1938, one mandating semi-annual, annual and biennial services for these vehicles. Operational tempos or specific usage patterns, for their part, are irrelevant. And while this approach
M
excellence
Without maintenance, military vehicles are useless. Yet with US service models almost a century old, change is urgently needed. Enter the M1/M2 Service Optimization Pilot, which promises to revolutionise how tanks and other vehicles are looked after. Offering commanders greater fl exibility around how they maintain vehicles, as well as simplifying procedures, the revised system is already proving successful. Phoebe Galbraith investigates, speaking to Corey Woods, deputy chief of staff at the US Maneuver Center of Excellence.
ensures that all vehicles receive regular attention, it doesn’t account for the varying levels of wear and tear that different machines experience. As these vehicles have grown more complex with successive upgrades, moreover, the traditional maintenance model has increasingly struggled to keep pace. That’s important for several reasons. Reliable equipment, it goes without saying, is essential for effective training, as it allows soldiers to build familiarity and confidence with the machinery they’ll ultimately use in real-world operations. At the same time, proper maintenance prevents breakdowns, minimises downtime, and ultimately ensures that military units are always ready for deployment.
Defence & Security Systems International /
www.defence-and-security.com 9
Karlis Dambrans/
Shutterstock.com
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