Since 2006, the Pentagon has been running the JLTV (Joint Light Tactical Vehicle) program, which aims to replace old HMMWV army vehicles. The lack of native booking and a number of other shortcomings forced the US military to initiate the development of a new multipurpose wheeled vehicle. Initially, about a dozen different companies were involved in the JLTV program, but at the end of March 2012, only six passed into the next "round" of the competition.
One of the most promising designs is considered the project of the British company BAE Systems, called Valanx. Its existence first became known in 2008, when the first copy of this machine was presented to the general public. By its appearance alone it was possible to draw appropriate conclusions. The characteristic faceted hull with a V-shaped bottom hinted at protection from enemy bullets and small mines, high ground clearance and an original suspension spoke of speed and maneuverability. The first prototype was presented to the JLTV competition commission, but it was not a model for mass production. BAE Systems, together with Northrop Grumman and Meritor, used the first armored car exclusively for testing. Various nuances of the chassis and body armor were worked out on it. Thus, according to the test results, the original large-panel laminated glass was replaced by relatively small panels. It is noteworthy that the windshield and the windows on the doors are equipped with double-glazed windows of the same shape. As conceived by BAE Systems engineers, this will help to quickly change damaged glass, including in difficult conditions.
Special trapezoidal double-glazed windows are only part of the entire reservation system. Protection of the Valanx armored car is done in two versions. At the request of the customer, the car can be equipped with "light" or "heavy" armor. In the first case, Valanx will correspond to 1 and 2 classes of the STANAG 4569 standard, in the second - to the third. Thus, the heavy armor of the armored car will provide all-round protection against armor-piercing bullets of caliber up to 7.62 mm inclusive and will save the crew from death when eight kilograms of TNT are detonated under the bottom. According to reports, both "light" and "heavy" armor is made of aluminum and titanium alloys. The difference in the types of armor lies in the thickness and number of layers.
As the power plant for the new MRAP-armored car, engineers from BAE Systems, as it became known recently, chose a 6, 7-liter Ford diesel engine with a capacity of 340 horsepower. The exact model has not yet been named, but it will reportedly be a motor similar to that used on civilian F-series vehicles. This engine must provide the armored vehicle with a maximum speed of at least 70 kilometers per hour, which are provided for in the technical specifications. In fact, Valanx accelerates to 130 km / h, which is almost double the requirements. The power reserve, in turn, fully meets the requirements of the military: about 400 miles (about 650 kilometers) at one gas station. There is information about the full compliance of the armored car with the requirements of the Pentagon, concerning the preservation of the operability of the power plant in case of damage to the cooling system or oil line. In addition, special tires and equipment for automatic inflation allows you to travel several tens of kilometers with two punctured wheels. Naturally, after that they will have to be changed and, most likely, the running gear will be diagnosed.
According to the terms of reference, the carrying capacity of the Valanx machine must be at least two tons. This figure includes the weight of the crew (one or two people) and the soldiers transported - in total, the Valanx has six seats. Also included in the payload are various weapons and equipment, such as communications, sanitary equipment, or the "command set" of the command and staff vehicle. Regardless of the purpose of a particular vehicle, it will be equipped with a unit for installing weapons. It can be a machine gun (M2HB or M249), an Mk19 automatic grenade launcher, an anti-tank missile system, etc. Of particular interest is the design of the "gun turret". To protect the shooter from enemy bullets and shrapnel, it is a system of shields, close to a circle in shape, equipped with bulletproof glass. Thanks to the latter, the shooter can search for targets without protruding beyond the protected volume. At the same time, as can be seen from the Valanx photos, the rotary turret allows you to hold the weapon not only above the armor shields, but also to lower it in the gaps between the protection elements.
On the basis of the current MRAP-car Valanx, several modifications for various purposes will be created in the near future. First of all, we should expect the appearance of command, reconnaissance and ambulances. In the future, an armored car with an engine of greater power and better characteristics can be developed on the basis of Valanx. The military, first of all, want to increase the carrying capacity. At the same time, its own weight and dimensions of such a vehicle must correspond to the capabilities of the C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft, as well as the CH-47 Chinook helicopters.
Currently, a number of foreign military and automotive experts consider the BAE Systems Valanx armored car one of the top favorites of the JLTV program. In terms of the combination of characteristics, Valanx looks more promising in technical and tactical aspects than Lockheed Martin JLTV or General Tactical Vehicles JLTV. However, we have at our disposal only the information that the development firms and the customer deem it necessary to make available to the public. It is possible that the ongoing comparative tests of six prototypes revealed some of the bad sides of the project. In this case, the decision of the commission responsible for the project may differ greatly from the expert forecasts. Nevertheless, the Valanx is indeed an interesting car and it is quite capable of becoming the successor of the legendary Humvee.
