Cost-effective upgrade approach significantly enhances precision, acceleration and speed for obsolete hydraulic turret drives
EUROSATORY 2016 (Booth #HALL 5A, Stand J761), PARIS, FRANCE – June 13-17, 2016 – Curtiss-Wright’s Defense Solutions division today announced that its Drive Technology business unit, a leading supplier of rugged, high reliability modular electro-mechanical aiming and stabilization solutions, located in Neuhausen am Rheinfall, Switzerland, has teamed with Raytheon Company to provide its cost-effective upgrade solution for modernizing the turret drive and stabilization system on M60 and Challenger 1 main battle tanks (MBT). Curtiss-Wright’s Electric Gun Turret Drive Upgrade Kit replaces older, less accurate hydraulic and hybrid-based turret stabilization systems on the M60 and Challenger 1 with a state-of-the-art full electro-mechanical drive. The system provides for a lighter and safer turret that is able to rotate faster and accurately fire while the tank is on the move. Curtiss-Wright has delivered the Electric Gun Turret Drive Upgrade Kit to Raytheon Company, and supported its integration into both the M60 and Challenger 1, resulting in successful live-fire testing of the upgraded tanks.
“We are very proud to team with Raytheon Company to upgrade M60 and Challenger 1 main battle tanks with a modern electro-mechanical turret drive system that provides a quick, cost-effective solution for significantly boosting the performance of these older hydraulic and hybrid turret drive systems, enabling them to competitively meet the threat posed by newer and far more costly contemporary platforms,” said Lynn Bamford, Senior Vice President, and General Manager, Defense Solutions division. “We are working together with Raytheon Company to provide our Electric Gun Turret Drive Upgrade Kit, which can help ensure that thousands of main battle tanks, currently in use around the world, continue to be vital and effective for years to come.”
This cost-effective approach for modernizing turret drive systems delivers significantly improved reliability, acceleration, and audio noise reduction by replacing old hydraulic lines with modern digitally-controlled and state-of-the-art electric actuators. The Electric Turret Drive Upgrade Kit can significantly improve tank crew survivability by eliminating flammable hydraulic fluids in the turret and can help to extend the operating life of thousands of tanks that are currently in use around the world.
Curtiss-Wright will also supply the Fire Control computer from its Santa Clarita, Calif. business unit.
About Curtiss-Wright Drive Technology
Curtiss-Wright Drive Technology is part of the Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions Division and has been a global leader in the development and manufacturing of electromechanical systems used in the defense industry for over 60 years, providing comprehensive solutions for all customers requirements as well as cost-effective options through the use of standard products. This means we have a solution for any size program. Our core competency is the development of customized drive solutions through customer partnerships. Following the V-Model for system, development guarantees well-defined processes and leads to the success of large, complex projects using state-of-the-art methodologies. As a Swiss company, quality, reliability, and environmental protection are the foundation of our business. High-quality standards are met through the use of sophisticated test equipment, centralized quality and lean management, compliance to the Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substances directive (RoHS), and the regulation on Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH), and model-based software development in accordance with EN 61508. Curtiss-Wright Drive Technology is certified according to ISO 9001:2008.
About Curtiss-Wright Corporation
Curtiss-Wright Corporation is a global innovative company that delivers highly engineered, critical function products and services to the commercial, industrial, defense and energy markets. Building on the heritage of Glenn Curtiss and the Wright brothers, Curtiss-Wright has a long tradition of providing reliable solutions through trusted customer relationships. The company employs approximately 8,400 people worldwide. For more information, visit www.curtisswright.com.
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