Army working to fix Mobile Protected Firepower toxic fume issue
The Pentagon’s chief weapons tester recently revealed that when soldiers fire the main gun, “high levels of toxic fumes” fill the vehicle.
By ASHLEY ROQUE
on February 02, 2023 at 4:24 PM
WASHINGTON — The gun on the Army’s new light tank design sends toxic fumes into the cabin when firing, a recent report has revealed — but the service is convinced it can find a fix, and may have one in place as early as next month.
Last year the Army awarded GDLS a $1.14 billion contract to produce prototypes of its new 38-ton Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) “light tank” design. But the fiscal 2022 Director, Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E) report, released last month, found that while the GDLS’s prototype has demonstrated “satisfactory progress” towards achieving “operational effectiveness, reliability, and availability to support infantry brigade operations,” several “vulnerabilities” remain that need to be fixed before the Army makes a full-rate production decision in fiscal 2025.
“Risk to achieving operational effectiveness include: minimizing the MPF’s audible signature, improving compatibility of MPF and infantry target designators to allow sharing of target information, and improving the usability of the intercom system,” according to the DOT&E report, which adds that changes need to be made to the vehicle’s cooling system, and its “survivability performance.” But nothing will raise eyebrows like the claim that when soldiers fire the main gun, “high levels of toxic fumes” fill the vehicle.
https://breakingdefense.com/2023/02/army-working-fix-for-mobile-protected-firepower-toxic-fume-challenge/
