FIX IT IN THE FIELD

Busted tanks and their crew which are miles away from the nearest maintenance depot have a lifesaver in the Singapore Armed Forces' (SAF's) Tracked Maintenance Task Vehicle (TMTV).

Anyone who has ever owned a car will know that the convenience of having personal transport can quickly turn into a burden when the vehicle breaks down. Trips to car workshops and the ensuing repair bill can be a real pain.

Now imagine the same scenario on the battlefield. Apart from being an inconvenience, a damaged armoured asset in the field means one less fighting weapon available for deployment.

The TMTV changes everything. Able to take on the full range of maintenance and repair tasks for the SAF's armoured vehicles out in the field, it is an invaluable asset for military operations.

Ever ready

Based on the twin-chassis Bronco All-Terrain Tracked Carrier (ATTC), the TMTV carries an additional high-mobility trailer at the rear. On the move, the TMTV resembles a small train with three carriages.

The first segment is where the driver and crew sit, while the centre segment houses a crane and deployable stabilisers. The last segment holds an entire armoured vehicle's power pack (engine and attached transmission) using special mounting points.

All-encompassing

Though small when compared to heavy industrial cranes, the 10-metre ton crane on board the TMTV is capable of lifting virtually all the engines of the armoured vehicles currently used in the SAF.

This piece of equipment is central to the TMTV as it allows the six-man crew to replace damaged engines. Think of it as the ability to do a vehicular heart transplant out in the field.

Four stabilisers housed within the centre segment of the TMTV anchor the entire set-up to the ground when deployed and this can be done rapidly by a single crew member.

The TMTV is also equipped with an onboard compressor and generator that allow the crew to use workshop tools in the field. When combined, these systems allow the TMTV to project full workshop capabilities wherever they are needed.

With all these components, the TMTV can take care of tasks which include heavy-lifting, welding and cutting of damaged vehicle parts.

High mobility

The TMTV is a tracked vehicle running on a continuous track, rather than on conventional wheels.

Though slower than most other vehicles, tracked vehicles are generally able to traverse harsher terrain than their conventional wheeled counterparts.

This gives the TMTV the mobility it needs to get to damaged armoured platforms wherever they may be.

Safe to use

As with all articulated vehicles (vehicles with a permanent or semi-permanent pivoting joint in their construction, allowing them to turn more sharply), the danger of jack-knifing is always present. This happens when the trailing load overtakes the front of the vehicle, usually during heavy braking. It can also happen when the vehicle is turning, and the centrifugal force of the turning motion causes the back end of the vehicle to swing out.

This phenomenon is very dangerous, especially to heavy vehicles, as it can cause the entire vehicle to spin out of control and, in some cases, topple.

To combat this, the trailer is designed to limit its range of sideways movement when it deviates from the TMTV's intended driveline. Coupled with a tri-cabin brake system which evenly distributes stopping power, the chances of a TMTV ever jack-knifing out of control are minimal.

Quick fix

The TMTV also allows its crew to perform quick repairs in the field using Battle Damage Assessment Repair (BDAR) materials and techniques.

BDAR allows the maintenance crew to accurately assess and prioritise the most critical repair work as well as perform temporary repairs in order to restore the damaged vehicle to a fighting status in the shortest amount of time.

Part of the TMTV fleet is currently on loan to the ongoing multinational stabilisation efforts in Afghanistan in support of the British Army's Warthog platform, which is the British variant of the Bronco.