Contact: Bob Ratliff, Science Writer
Mississippi State University
(662) 325-3783
[email protected]
Research project attacks Amry's 'tough truck' needs
STARKVILLE, Miss.--The military's need for a lightweight pickup truck may yield benefits for consumers as well. Engineers at Mississippi State University are part of a team working to produce a new lightweight pickup that can function both as a military and a commercial vehicle.
The two-year, $11.2 million project is a joint effort of the Ford Motor Company and the U.S. Army, said MSU assistant professor of mechanical engineering Richard Patton.
The search for a better truck is the goal of the Army's Improved Materials and Powertrain Architectures for 21st Century Trucks (IMPACT) program.
"The Army needs a full-size pickup that is tough enough to withstand the rigors of military use and still achieves 50 percent better fuel efficiency than what is currently available," he said. "Fuel accounts for 70 percent of everything the Army moves to the battlefield, so fuel efficiency is critical."
Patton and other MSU engineers and scientists will initially investigate high-strength, lightweight steel designs for use in the truck.
The prototype will be a Ford F-150 and the nation's truck-buyers could ultimately benefit from the research that goes into its development.
"The goal is to design trucks for commercial production that are suitable, with few modifications, for military use," Patton said. "In addition to fuel efficiency, the military requires vehicles that have the corrosion resistance, low maintaince requirements and other qualities that will keep them in service for more than 20 years."
The IMPACT program is sponsored by the National Automotive Center, which develops dual use technologies for military vehicles and is part of the Army Tank Automotive and Armaments Command. The American Iron and Steel Institute provides additional support.
Other participants include Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Louisville.
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For additional details of MSU's participation in the IMPACT program, contact Richard Patton at (662) 325-7311, e-mail [email protected].
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