FFG hands over HiMoLaP system demonstrator for highly mobile land platform to German army BAAINBw

Defense News June 2021 Global Security army industry
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According to Gerhard Heiming in Soldat & Technik, on June 8, 2021, the Geman procurement administration BAAINBw took over a system demonstrator HiMoLaP (High Mobile Land-Platform), an amphibious highly mobile land platform for component tests. The FFG Flensburger Fahrzeugbau Gesellschaft mbH (FFG) built the demonstrator on behalf of the BAAINBw after the company had developed solutions to weak points in known articulated vehicle systems and innovative ideas for the vehicle segment in a study - also commissioned by the BAAINBw. The work concentrated on the articulated steering and the drive.
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FFG (Flensburger Fahrzeugbau Gesellschaft mbH) built the HiMoLaP (High Mobile Land-Platform) demonstrator on behalf of the BAAINBw for the German army  (Picture source : FFG)

The system demonstrator from FFG is equipped with a bionic articulated joint with roll damping, with which "active cornering" is possible. The roll damping reduces the risk of the rear end rocking and thus significantly increases driving safety. For "Active Cornering", the articulated joint pulls the front and rear sections together slightly when cornering, thus reducing the effective chain contact area. This makes the steering more precise and reduces chain wear.

The diesel engine in the front module of the vehicle is supplemented by an electric drive in the rear module. When used as a booster, the electric motor can support overcoming critical situations with additional acceleration. It can also drive the vehicle on its own and enable quiet driving.

The WTD41 will now extensively and intensively test the HiMoLaP. A long-term test is planned over several thousand kilometers in very different scenarios, in which the individual components of the demonstrator should prove their capabilities, Soldat & Technik reports. It is planned to have the production of the vehicles carried out by the main contractor and the individual adaptation by national subcontractors. The first vehicles for the integrated verification should be delivered from 2022. The replacement with series vehicles is planned to begin in 2024.

Manufacturer's specifications: Length 7.90 m. Width 2.50 m. Height 2.50 m. Volume front/rear module: 8/10 m³. Max. payload: 3.6 t. Empty weight 10.40 t. Range: 550 km. Slope: 100 percent. Side slope: 80 percent. The vehicle is amphibious.