Exhibiting advanced capabilities at defence show
GUESTS at the 2012 Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) Expo were shown the benefits of a range of advanced military grade engines that were displayed by the South African division of Cummins.
The AAD Expo, which was hosted at the Waterkloof Air Force Base in Centurion last month, is recognised as the largest exhibition of air, sea and land capabilities in Africa, and one of the world’s premier aerospace and defence events.
Cummins SA defence OEMs relationship manager Ian Stoutjes- dyk says that the company displayed its range ISF 2.8 and ISB 6.7 engines at the event, not only to show support for local defence OEMs, but also to display its advanced capabilities.
“The technologically advanced engines displayed by Cummins at the expo have proven to be popular in the local market, especially among troop carrier manufacturers.”
Stoutjesdyk says that the Cummins ISF engine is ideal for use in troop carriers, due to its performance and low operating costs. “Advanced thermal engineering has made the ISF engine capable of running at higher operating temperatures, thereby reducing the size and cost of the vehicle cooling package. The superior analysis LED design makes the ISF range the lightest and strongest engine in its displacement class, while the modular architecture enables easy upgrade in future.”
Despite sophisticated protection and enhanced firepower, armoured fighting vehicles and personnel carriers need to rely on speed and concealment to ensure survivability.
“The Cummins range of highly advanced engines provide outstanding power density for higher speeds, with exceptional fuel efficiency and sustained operations. To meet Euro 4 and Euro 5 emissions with clean combustion techniques, Cummins engines reduce both thermal and visible smoke signature to low levels, which ultimately also assists in preventing detection.”
Stoutjesdyk says the ISF range of engines are available with key features that include a stiffer block, composite oil pan and valve cover, and a rear gear train that results in lower noise, with reduced harshness and vibration. “What’s more, the high pressure common rail system works at extremely high pressure and provides precise control of the combustion process, while in-house Wastegated Turbocharger technology provides excellent performance across the rpm range, and an improved response through higher low-end torque.”
To help unleash the full driving potential of the vehicle, Stoutjesdyk says that electronic technology reaches out from beyond the engine to fully integrate with other electronically controlled systems on the powertrain.