DSEI 2021: Texelis looks to the future of armoured vehicle mobility.

Texelis is showcasing the future of armoured vehicle mobility with its proven MR400 mobility solution for highly strategic and mobile military protected vehicles.

Scale model of Texelis' MR400 (Picture source: Army Recognition)

The MR400 comprises a full vehicle driveline, including axle, powerpack, suspension, steering, cooling, exhaust and electrical systems. This Texelis mobility solution delivers exceptional off-road mobility with air transportability, whilst simultaneously supporting high levels of protection and a high payload capacity.

Derived from the solution designed for the French DGA’s lightweight 4x4 VBMR vehicle as part of the Scorpion programme, the MR400 is a de-risked mobility solution for customers seeking ambitious, high-performance mobility for integration on military 4x4 armoured vehicles. As part of the VBMR programme, the MR400 has undergone thousands of hours of testbed and on-road trials, and is currently in production at Texelis’ facility in Limoges, France, from where the company will also provide spares for the French programme for the next 30 years.

Customers looking to tackle the mobility challenges of the coming decade in partnership with Texelis will also benefit from high levels of localisation as part of domestic vehicle programmes. The Texelis mobility solution includes technology from industrial partners Cummins, Allison Transmission, PowerLine, Michelin, Koni and Hutchinson.

“Our work on the VBMR programme has allowed us to refine our capabilities in vehicle mobility and our facility is fully equipped for a ten-year production run and 30-year supporting role for the French Scorpion programme,” Jean Vandel, Managing Director at Texelis Defence, said. “Now we are bringing this expertise to the world, with a proven, reliable and modular solution that is available to test drive on the track in France. "The growth of the urban battlefield and need for armoured vehicles to be highly protected while air-transportable has driven a revolution in mobility – and Texelis is at the forefront of this innovative work.” Texelis' MR400 mobility solution can even be applied to unmanned vehicles, as the whole development of the electronic side is fully internal to the company that totally masters this technology.

A scale model of Texelis’ MR400 is showcased at DSEI 2021, along with details of the full range of Texelis mobility solutions, and information on the new in-wheel Electric Hub Drive being developed in partnership with QinetiQ. Combining Texelis’ mobility expertise and manufacturing excellence with QinetiQ’s electrification capabilities, the Electric Hub Drive is a breakthrough technology for the military vehicle market, offering vehicle OEMs more freedom and flexibility than ever before to design the best vehicles for tomorrow’s battlefield.