Defense & Security Thailand 2019: Hutchinson promotes Tire Saver Shield, Safetank and Ballisti-Can.

The French company is deploying strong efforts to convince Asian military and security forces about the critical use of much more efficient tire protection than simple run-flat tires, and the necessity of protecting vehicle and boat fuel tanks with adaptable and low-cost self-sealing kits to simply adapt on existing tanks.

Some of the Hutchinson range of products displayed at Defense & Security Thailand 2019: wheels, run-flat  system, Tire Shield mounted on run-flat tire, and Ballisti-Can on jerrycan (Picture source: Army Recognition)

The tire’s sidewall represents one of the most vulnerable parts of military wheeled vehicles. It is essential to protect the tires in order to prevent the risk of immobilization caused by sidewall damage, destruction, fire or enemy detection. The patented Tire Saver Shield system increases the safety of the warfighter while significantly reducing the operating cost of vehicles faced with cross country/off-road terrain.

The Hutchinson Tire Saver Shield is made of reinforced rubber and is mounted directly onto the wheel. The materials were carefully selected to be extremely resistant to tearing and perforation. The Tire Saver Shield creates a barrier between the tire sidewall and damaging terrains such as rocks and debris, preventing sharp elements from destroying the tire.

The vehicle’s tires are a significant source of heat. The Tire Saver Shield blocks the internal heat of the tire and masks the thermal signature of wheeled vehicles.

Hutchinson Tire Shield mounted on a run-flat tire to protect the classically vulnerable sidewall (Picture source: Army Recognition)

By protecting the tire sidewall, significant life cycle cost savings can be realized: tire replacement, logistics, mobility device replacement, inventory, mounting/dismounting, floor space. Tire sidewall destruction can result in an aborted mission or critical down-time. The Hutchinson Tire Saver Shields’s highly engineered and tested material protects against flames, chemicals, punctures, cuts, tears and snags, harsh terrain. The Hutchinson Tire Saver Shield has been designed and tested to be fire-retardant. The Tire Saver Shield is made of fire-resistant materials that offer a high degree of protection against fire.

To push the unprecedented concept on the Asian market, Hutchinson has concluded an agreement with Panus to mount Tire Savers on the 8x8 Panus R600 infantry combat vehicle (see our piece of news dedicated to Panus during Defense & Security Thailand 2019). The system should also equip the Thai Marine Corps 8x8 Black Widow IFV’s tires.

Hutchinson Safetank self-sealing outer protection kit adaptable to any existing fuel tank. Two holes of 7.62mm armor-piercing bullets demonstrate the efficiency of the protection (Picture source: Army Recognition)

The Safetank outer coating closes off wounds and stops fuel leaks: it reduces the risk of fire and explosion, its fire-retardant layer prevents crew injury from external fires, and its internal fillers inhibit ignition of fuel vapor during blast and penetration. Safetank protective coating eliminates the need for armor plates, metal or composite, enables the use of lightweight tank material: plastic or aluminum; it can reduce system weight up to 220lbs. on some applications. The outer layer of the Safetank can take impacts from heavy debris and withstands the harsh conditions seen by military off-road vehicles. Small arms fire and machine-gun fire can cause loss of valuable fuel during transport: 1 gallon of fuel delivered = $400.00; Safetank can seal wounds from heavy machine gun and blast shrapnel. So, it guarantees the availability of fuel. It also enables the completion of critical delivery and logistic transports, which means tanker protection.

Vehicles subject to the dangers of an explosion caused by gunfire, mines and IED’s and various security threats require fuel tank protection to increase their survivability. The Flex Fit Tank Wrap added outside a jerrycan provides a field mountable lightweight fuel tank protection. The Ballisti-Can protects spare fuel cans from leaks caused by ballistic punctures from 5.56 to 14.5 mm and blast fragments.