Heavy Tactical Transport Vehicle (FRAUT)

The Heavy Tactical Transport Vehicle is a FRAUT designed by Federal Defence. The vehicle was designed in 1998, and entered service with the Federal Republic Land Force Command in 2006. Production of the MTTV program is ongoing, currently with a total of 25,671 vehicles being produced so far. This series is built primarily for the Land Force Command. The vehicle has not seen any conflicts. The HTTV family will continue to have additional variants produced to support the Land Force Command 2020 Strategy.

History
Prior to the modernization of the Land Force Command, the Federal Republic Defence forces used heavy but crude vehicles. Heavy transports were generally based on vehicles using 30-40l displaced engines. This resulted in adequate power, but the vehicles had no ability for tuning, were extremely unsafe to drive, and fatigued the crews easily. Most heavy vehicles were equipped with 18 speed manual, non-synchronized transmissions. This meant the driver had to activate the clutch twice per shift, going through all 18 gears frequently. The result was that during a long road march, drivers would usually need to swap after only 6-7 hours of driving because of the heavily weighted controls. Despite weighing over 40 tonnes, the old vehicles also used un-assisted braking and steering. So, by the 1990s it became clear that these vehicles, although reliable were inefficient, unsafe and ineffective in their role for heavy line transport.

In 1997, the Federal Republic Land Force Command Headquarters, Command Administration Group Center sent proposals for a bid for a contract for a new, advanced heavy truck. The initial requirements were for assisted braking and steering, and an automatic transmission. For heavy lift trucks, this was key to allowing the vehicles to be more efficient on the drivers. Furthermore, better suspension and better safety. Despite the emerging automotive sector, the Command Administration Group reached out for commercial proposals. Federal Automotive acquired the plans for an advanced flat nose truck, and extensively modified the civilian design to fulfill the Heavy requirements. The bid was accepted in late 1997, and production of vehicle 0 began in 2000. The vehicle passed trials in 2001, and full rate production commenced in 2003.

Mobility
The main objective of the HTTV program was to create a vehicle that was more efficient, and more safe than its predecessor. An automatic transmission was fitted, and a much smaller, quieter and more efficient 8 liter V-8 motor was fitted, which still produces roughly 560hp. The vehicle is fitted with advanced air bags and pre-collision systems, a first for a heavy military vehicle.

Instead of rough leaf spring suspension, the HTTV uses an advanced, electronically controlled air suspension system. Not only does the system allow 100,000lbs of loading, it also is self leveling, which allows the load to be protected while being transported over very rough ground. The system also can effectively balance the weight of the vehicle between the minimum and maximum load, allowing for safer driving dynamics.

Unlike previous vehicles, the HTTV also uses an advanced 8 wheel drive system. The system has four locking diferentials at each axle, connected to a 2 speed transfer case. An electronic controller allows for full 8 wheel drive, fully locked. The vehicle can also be switched to 4 wheel drive using only the two rear axles, for better fuel efficiency during driving on well maintained roads. The 2 speed transfer case also allows for higher torque during off-road driving.

M81 HTTV
The M81 HTTV is the base model of the HTTV family. It incorporates all base features, including 8 wheel drive and a 15 speed transmission. The vehicle has a flat rear deck for cargo loading, although no deck crane is fitted. The vehicle has 2 seats, for a driver and co-driver in the cab. This variant is due to be upgraded in the Land Force 2020 project to a palletized load system (PLS) vehicle. The basic variant incorporates a modular loading system into the rear deck, allowing for cargo to be quickly strapped down without the need for a complex cargo strap system. Many modular cargo devices can be fitted without any cargo straps.

M81A1 HTTV
In 2009, because of increasing asymmetric warfare threats, a bid was submitted for an up-armored cab for the HTTV. Composite Dynamics submitted the winning bid with the Heavy Protection Kit Cab, or HPK. The HPK is a fully composite cab providing protection for heavy machineguns and grenade machineguns. It also incorporates under-body survivability for mines or improvised explosive devices. The Cab is a full replacement, but incorporates the original interior, and the old cab is removed completely. The new cab does not require any modification to the chassis, and is fitted with the standard mounting points.