Supacat's Armoured Closed Cab HMT Enhances Mission Flexibility and Crew Safety at DVD 2024.

The Devon-based defense engineering company, Supacat, introduced two new defense vehicles at DVD 2024, held at UTAC Millbrook in Bedford. The first is a tactical light mobility vehicle (LMV) designed for high mobility and high readiness forces. The second vehicle is a new variant in the High Mobility Transporter (HMT) family, featuring an armoured closed cab that can accommodate four people.
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The closed cab HMT builds on the reputation of the HMT series for enhanced protection, improved mobility, and optimized payload capacity (Picture source: ArmyRecognition)

At the DVD 2024 exhibition in Millbrook, Supacat unveiled the Armoured Closed Cab (ACC) HMT, a new addition to the HMT family, designed to provide enhanced crew protection while maintaining the modularity of other HMT variants. This vehicle is equipped to host a four-person crew, with a closed cab that includes blast and ballistic protection, available upon request. The design takes human factors into account to provide a safe and comfortable environment for occupants, whether they are of small stature (5th percentile female) or larger build (95th percentile male).

The armoured closed cab HMT is optimized to function as a mobility platform for complex mission systems. The crew consists of a commander, a driver, and two mission system operators. Compliant with the Generic Vehicle Architecture requirements, the vehicle allows for the integration of various systems directly onto its chassis, offering significant flexibility in operational tasks. The payload capacity is approximately 3,500 kg, including space for mission systems and ballistic protection.

The vehicle is built on over 20 years of operational experience, offering a highly mobile platform known for its off-road performance. Featuring a 4x4 configuration, it can reach a maximum speed of 120 km/h and has a range of 950 kilometers, thanks to its 195-liter fuel tank. Measuring 7.136 meters in length, 2.05 meters in width, and 2.476 meters in height, with a ground clearance of 0.28 meters on-road and 0.38 meters off-road, the ACC HMT is designed to meet various battlefield requirements. Its gross vehicle weight (GVW) is 12,000 kg, with an unladen weight of 8,450 kg. The vehicle can ford water obstacles up to 750 mm in depth and tackle slopes with a maximum gradient of 60%. Its approach and departure angles of 40° and 38°, respectively, provide enhanced maneuverability on rugged terrains. These features make it suitable not only for ground-based air defense missions but also for roles such as an armoured vehicle, ambulance, recovery vehicle, or troop carrier.

The closed cab HMT builds on the reputation of the HMT series for enhanced protection, improved mobility, and optimized payload capacity. Based on the common modular platform of the HMT range, this new variant provides a high level of crew protection while maintaining subsystem compatibility with other HMT models, including the British Ministry of Defence's Jackal and Coyote. The closed cab illustrates the benefits of modular design, enabling the continuous development of new capabilities on an existing platform.

The ACC HMT is designed to be deployed in the same tactical environment as light troops, allowing for logistical support to be brought precisely where needed, maximizing the safety and effectiveness of soldiers. Typically, the armoured closed cab HMT can be used for roles such as ground-based air defense, organic anti-armour support for combat groups, ambulance, recovery vehicle, or troop transport.

As a member of the HMT family, the ACC HMT offers numerous advantages, including operationally proven reliability and ease of maintenance. The reduction in operator and maintenance training requirements during its introduction into service, as well as the use of common spare parts across existing HMT fleets, provide a new capability without increasing the size of the fleet. This reduces the impact on the material inventory of introducing new capabilities while supporting the British Ministry of Defence's Land Mobility Programme, which aims to reduce the British Army’s fleet to 15 core platforms or fewer by 2030.

Phil Applegarth, director and head of Supacat, emphasized that the company is committed to developing military vehicle platforms that are among the most versatile, rugged, and interchangeable in the world. In addition to the ACC HMT, Supacat's new Light Mobility Vehicle – Tactical (LMV-T) is designed specifically for special forces and high readiness units, offering a "fly and drive" capability due to its low weight and compact design. Supacat also highlights that the ACC HMT has the potential to revolutionize the army's ability to sustain operations while significantly reducing logistical, maintenance, and cost burdens.

In conclusion, the Armoured Closed Cab (ACC) HMT presented by Supacat demonstrates the company's ability to address the evolving needs of modern armed forces. With its modular characteristics and robust design, the vehicle is well-positioned to enhance the capabilities of militaries worldwide and establish itself as a versatile platform in the military vehicle market.