Allison Transmission has been selected by the Israeli Ministry of Defense for in the framework of their future 8x8 Infantry Fighting Vehicle designated « Eitan ».
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The Eitan AFV as presented in a picture released on Feb. 9, 2020, by the Israeli Defense Ministry (Picture source: Israeli MoD)
The Israeli Ministry of Defense selected the Allison 4800 Specialty Series (SP) transmission for their 8-wheeled Eitan Armored Fighting Vehicle (AFV). The Eitan (Hebrew for “steadfast” or “strong”) will replace a portion of Israel’s aging fleet of M113 tracked armored personnel carriers. Allison Transmission received the first production order in September 2021, with deliveries expected to continue for multiple years. The 4800 SP transmissions will be assembled within power packs by the vehicle’s power pack integrator - Rolls Royce Solutions America (Formerly MTU America).
“The Israeli Defense Force has a remarkable defense industrial base that is committed to innovation and fielding transformative technologies. Allison is proud to provide our 4000 Series transmission with advanced features for the Eitan Armored Fighting Vehicle,” said Dana Pittard, Vice President for Defense Programs at Allison Transmission.
The development and production of the Eitan are being led by the Armored Vehicles Directorate at the Israeli Ministry of Defense. Three variants of the Eitan will be fielded – an armored personnel carrier (APC), a command vehicle and an infantry combat vehicle equipped with an unmanned turret and 30mm cannon.
The Allison 4800 SP model is currently featured in a number of other large 8 x 8 wheeled armored combat vehicles including the United States Marine Corps Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) and the Boxer AFV in use with several countries including Germany, the Netherlands, Lithuania, the United Kingdom, and Australia. The 4800 SP meets all customer requirements for performance, reliability and durability in the large-wheeled armored combat vehicle segment.
The Allison 4800 SP is also used in the United States Army M1070A1 Heavy Equipment Transporter (HET) and M1300 Enhanced Heavy Equipment Transporter System (EHETS) tractor.
The new Eitan is an 8x8 vehicle that combines technologies from the Merkava main battle tank and the Namer APC, but at a cheaper price, the Defense Ministry said. The new Eitan, co-developed with the US, can reach 90 km/h (56 mph), is lighter and cheaper than previous APCs deployed by the IDF.
The Eitan was developed partially in response to lessons learned from the 2014 Gaza war and is progressively replacing the IDF’s current M113 APCs. The Eitan is intended to give troops greater speed and mobility — it can reach 90 kilometers per hour (56 mph) — as well as better security: it will be fitted with Elbit System’s Iron Fist Light Decoupled (IFLD) active protection system. The selection of the IFLD for the IDF’s Eitan AFV came on the heels of the decision by the U.S. Army to proceed with the IFLD for the Bradley IFV.
IFLD uses independent optical sensors, tracking radar, launchers and countermeasure munitions to defeat threats at a safe distance from the defended combat vehicles. The system provides 360-degree protection coverage for close-range scenarios in both open terrain and urban environments. Its low size and weight, versatile high-performance, negligible residual penetration and ease of integration position IFLD as an optimal active protection solution for any fighting vehicle.
The development took place in Israel as well as in the United States, and its parts will be produced in more than 60 factories in both countries. Each APC requires the production of approximately one million parts, including over 20 tons of steel, 30 kilometers of welding wire, 6 kilometers of power and communication wired, and about 70 liters of paint.
