BAE Systems, Qinetiq team for US Army GCV

QinetiQ has announced that it will provide its E-X-Drive transmission as the key component of a hybrid electric drive propulsion system to the BAE Systems-Northrop Grumman team for the US Army’s Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV) programme. The team was recently awarded a $449.9 million contract for the technology development phase of the programme.

The E-X-Drive transmission for electric drive tracked vehicles marks a significant step forward from conventional hydro-mechanical transmissions in terms of efficiency, size, weight, reliability and flexibility. The E-X-Drive based system for GCV offers improved acceleration, agility, fuel efficiency and maintainability compared to the drive-trains of current combat vehicles. It also delivers electrical power for on-board vehicle systems, or as export power for stationary applications.

According to the company, E-X-Drive enables fundamental changes in vehicle configuration as the engine and transmission do not have to be connected mechanically. This allows increased flexibility in the choice of power sources and their location, facilitating the easy introduction of fuel cells and advanced battery/energy storage technologies as they become available over the life-time of the vehicle.

QinetiQ will deliver several transmissions during the 24-month technology development phase of the GCV programme. They will be used to confirm demanding performance and durability targets, demonstrating the technology’s readiness for prototype builds during the engineering and manufacturing phase.