TenCate Advanced Armor in the USA has been selected by the Defense Mobility Enterprise (DME) for its engineering expertise in active blast technology. Under contract via DME, engineers of TenCate will integrate the TenCate ABDS™ active blast countermeasure system onto the U.S. Army Combat Vehicle Prototype.

At the current stage of government validation, TenCate is preparing its TenCate ABDS™ active blast countermeasure system for integration on new and existing US and allied vehicle platforms. The Defense Mobility Enterprise (DME), a consortium managed by the Vehicle and Robotics Alliance Program Office (VRA PO) and the National Advanced Mobility Consortium (NAMC), has selected TenCate and its innovative occupant survivability system for installation on the Combat Vehicle Prototype (CVP).

The timeliness of the TenCate ABDS™ active blast countermeasure system program was highlighted when, late last month, after a four year long selection process, the U.S. Army awarded Oshkosh Defense (Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USA) a major contract to manufacture the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV). The contract confirms the envisaged procurement schedule of new vehicle programs that could drive market introduction, as these could be the main platforms for the TenCate ABDS™ active blast countermeasure system family of occupant survivability technologies. Since October 2014, TenCate has evaluated the system under the direction of the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC).

Mark Edwards, President of TenCate Advanced Armor USA, says: 'We are encouraged by the DME award to continue the testing and evaluation of TenCate ABDS™ active blast countermeasure system on applications such as CVP. Though separate, the JLTV announcement is significant because JLTV is a large family of relevant vehicles on which our system could be integrated. We certainly recognize the AM General HMMWV-MECV and its eventual replacement by JLTV as ideal candidates for the lifesaving benefits that our passive and active armor products can deliver. The DME award helps us to prepare the integration of our system onto army vehicle platforms.'

The TenCate ABDS™ active blast countermeasure system can save lives and reduce injury by minimizing the transfer of mine blast energy witnessed by a mounted crew. The system mitigates the launch acceleration, the flight height and duration, and the fall back to the ground. TenCate ABDS™ active blast countermeasure system is a solution for increasing threat protection on blast resistant ground vehicles. The system can enhance survivability on tactical, combat, wheeled, tracked and amphibious equipment.


TenCate Advanced Armor North America
Newark, Ohio, United States of America, Tuesday 15 September 2015

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