At the AUSA show conducted in Washington, DC, Alcoa declared that it has partnered with Oshkosh Defense to deliver ArmX aluminum armor kits for protecting the underside of the heavy expanded mobility tactical truck (HEMTT) A4 from blasts.
ArmX armor plate was fabricated with unique applications to fit the c-kit blast shield of the HEMTT. OEMs can buy ArmX plate or forgings, or they can purchase the entire ArmX subassemblies, which can be fitted easily into their vehicles. Alcoa offers complete research and development through design and implementation to enable novel solutions to quickly reach the market.
David Dobson, who serves as Defense President at Alcoa, commented that the company collaborates with Oshkosh to offer kitted ArmX assemblies, which offer superior blast protection to vehicles from improvised explosive device risks. The company provides the full value proposition of the newest products and program management to offer highly engineered subassemblies to its OEM customers if they want, he said.
Dobson further said that the company realized the design concept of Oshkosh Defense for its HEMTT blast shield by manufacturing the 14 subassembly parts. The company’s experience in aluminum production makes it to fabricate intricate shapes from 2" thick ArmX plate made of the ballistic temper of alloy 7085.
Victor Marquez, who serves as General Manager at Alcoa Transportation Products, which produces the kits, stated that although these assemblies are complicated, the company has been able to meet lead times of its customers through its well-informed program management ensuring 100% delivery performance.