BAE Systems Unveils M1151 HMMWV at AUSA

Dubbed the M1151 Survivability Concept Demonstrator Vehicle, the armored HMMWV was unveiled at the Association of the United States Army’s (AUSA) annual meeting and exposition in Washington D.C. Oct. 5-7.

“Since this is Security & Survivability’s first appearance at AUSA—as a stand alone line of business—we needed something unique that both represents our business and showcases the breadth of survivability solutions we offer,” said Tony Russell, President of BAE Systems’ Security & Survivability line of business. “This vehicle does that and then some.”

In addition to featuring a new, lighter-weight add-on armor kit—which is approximately 500 lbs lighter than the current system and is designed to replace the B-kit, Frag 1, Frag 2 and Frag 5 kits—the vehicle also includes a new steel roof and new perimeter armor system.

The vehicle also demonstrates the company’s diverse capabilities and competitive strengths as they relate to the varying levels of protection required for wartime versus peacetime operations. To demonstrate that, the vehicle features a wartime configuration including the lighter-weight armor and Frag 5 doors on the left-hand side, and a peacetime configuration on the right-hand side.

“In a word, this vehicle affords us ‘opportunity’…opportunity to display and demonstrate our integrated survivability solutions to our customer,” said Russell. “This vehicle represents what we can do with virtually any military or commercial vehicle in partnership with any OEM or defense contractor. Bottom line, our customer doesn’t want to think our products will work together seamlessly, they want to know they will; and this vehicle shows just how well our capabilities, technologies and advanced materials all integrate together,” added Russell.

The vehicle also features survivability systems, including: Mine-blast resistant, energy-absorbing seating; Gunner restraints; Clamshell doors and TPI hood and peacetime doors.

In addition to the M1151 HMMWV on display, a tractor trailer that BAE Systems is armoring as part of a partnership with Daimler Trucks North America, was displayed at AUSA.

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