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This paper provides an overview of the Hybrid Electric Commercially Based Tactical Truck (COMBATT), a collaborative program between the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command's (TACOM) National Automotive Center (NAC) and the DaimlerChrysler Hybrid Electric Vehicle Platform Engineering Group. As part of the 21st Century Truck Initiative, the COMBATT platforms represent the class 2b (light) trucks. The platforms contain all of the utility and enhanced off-road capability features of the baseline COMBATT platform plus the second generation of a hybrid propulsion system incorporating an integral auxiliary power supply. The hybrid feature increases fuel efficiency, expands operational capability by providing a limited range electric propulsion mode, and enables an extended auxiliary electrical power supply capability. The auxiliary power supply provides up to 20kW of continuous electric power and 30kW of peak electric power for on- or off-board applications.

Hybrid electric propulsion is a viable, realistic, near-term technology that can dramatically increase the fuel efficiency of commercial and military ground vehicles. Hybrid vehicles also benefit from exhaust emission reductions and the availability of an on-board source of mobile high power electrical energy for auxiliary systems.

Modern natural gas-to-liquids (GTL) conversion processes (Fischer-Tropsch liquid fuels (FTL)) offers an attractive means for making synthetic liquid fuels. Military diesel and jet fuels are procured under Commercial Item Description (CID) A-A-52557 (based on ASTM D 975) and MIL-DTL-83133/MIL-DTL-5624 (JP-8/JP-5), respectively. The Single Fuel Forward (single fuel in the battlefield) policy requires the use of JP-8 or JP-5 (JP-8/5). Fuel properties crucial to fuel system/engine performance/operation are identified for both old and new tactical/non-tactical vehicles. The 21st Century Truck program is developing technology for improved safety, reduced harmful exhaust emissions, improved fuel efficiency, and reduced cost of ownership of future military and civilian ground vehicles (in the heavy duty category having gross vehicle weights exceeding 8500 pounds).[1]

This paper will describe the Army's Vehicle Intelligence Program and discuss some of the VI technologies being considered for use within the Army's Tactical Wheeled Vehicle fleet. It will describe some initial modeling efforts that focus on the fuel efficiency impacts of selected VI technologies and will suggest the impacts of an integrated and networked fleet with regard to logistics. Lastly, it will identify several areas of AVIP research that are being considered in the near term. All of these programs impact directly on the 21st Century (21T) Truck program. [1]