Feature: Military


Environmental threats challenge


military vehicle design By Roger Brereton, Head of Sales, Pailton Engineering


W


ith heatwaves in North America and record- breaking floods in Europe and Asia, year 2021


was regarded by many as pivotal in the growing problem of climate change. Recent years have witnessed a growth


in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. Furthermore, according to the most recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), scientists are now more certain of the link between human activity and extreme weather events. At the same time there is growing recognition of the impact extreme


42 May 2024 www.electronicsworld.co.uk


weather is having. A study by Christian Aid, a charity fighting global poverty, identified ten extreme weather events that caused damage worth $1.5bn in 2021. Te biggest impacts were felt by Hurricane Ida in the US in August and by flooding in Europe in July.


Change in approach So how is military vehicle design changing in response to the challenge of climate change? Te defence industry is beginning


to invest a lot more into assessing the implications of a world where extreme weather events are becoming more common. Traditionally, security analysts focused


only on relationships among states. Nowadays, the United Nations Security Council recognises climate change as a ‘‘threat multiplier’’, and most Western states accept this. Te military will face pressure to lower


its carbon footprint and move toward hybrid vehicles and alternative fuels where possible, but it will also need to procure equipment, including vehicles, that are adapted for a world where climactic conditions have changed. Te design of military equipment is


starting to evolve in line with this latest strategic thinking on climate change. Te two key areas where we will see


greatest design changes affecting military vehicles are as follows:


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