Ricardo to deliver additional ABS-ESC retrofit kits for US Army Humvees.

The U.S. Army has awarded Ricardo’s Defense business unit, located in Michigan, over an 18.9million USD to deliver additional Antilock Brake System/Electronic Stability Control (ABS/ESC) retrofit kits to improve the safety of operation of the US Army’s High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV, or Humvee).
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US Army paratrooper, D Company, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, fires an M2 .50 MG from a Humvee during Eagle Sokol 21, Slovenia, March 15, 2021 (Picture source: U.S. Army/Davide Dalla Massara)

In addition to those retrofit kits Ricardo has previously delivered, this contract award will improve safety on fielded vehicles in the US Army’s enduring HMMWV fleet. Additionally, more than 7,000 new production or recapitalized HMMWV vehicles have been delivered to the US Army with Ricardo’s integrated ABS/ESC technology following the Army’s mandate of the Ricardo system on all new production HMMWVs. In 2019, the Army provisioned Ricardo’s ABS/ESC retrofit kit into the national stock system for application of vehicles produced prior to 2019 that are slated to remain in the Army’s enduring fleet through 2040.

Chet Gryczan, President of Ricardo Defense said: “Ricardo is committed to providing our customers with mission-critical, innovative, integrated solutions that deliver capability to the soldier. This award demonstrates that Ricardo can solve tough challenges for legacy systems that require a future-looking integrated solution. Consistent with our core values of sustainable, safe, and smart mobility, the successful deployment of Ricardo’s ABS/ESC safety-critical system ensures the safety of soldiers and operators remains at the forefront of every training and operational mission. We are extremely proud to support the US Army’s objective of ensuring that soldier safety remains a top priority throughout each mission.”

The Ricardo-developed ABS/ESC retrofit system encompasses a complete solution integrated into the HMMWV architecture including antilock braking, electronic stability control, active rollover protection, traction control, and improved brake calipers, pads, and rotors. The Ricardo system additionally introduces a crashworthy steering column and a modern electronic network to the vehicle and leverages low-cost, proven components specifically designed for the arduous requirements of military application. From the beginning, Ricardo designed the system for ease of upgrade to the existing fleet to minimize HMMWV lifecycle cost to US taxpayers.