New paramilitary Iveco Trakker Euro 6
The Bundeswehr ordered Trakkers in several versions, including GTF 8x8, TEP-90, STW-8x8, dump truck - 8x8-FSA, truck tractor - 6x6-FSA and FTW-6x4. These include GTF with an all-armored cabin - the KMW capsule (pictured).
On September 15-18, during the DSEI arms exhibition in London, the military department of the Iveco concern - Iveco Defense Vehicles - presented a representative of the Trakker series in a deeply militarized publication. It was a 4-axle chassis in 8×8 transmission, with twin rear wheels, reducing tactical mobility to only medium, equipped with an armored cab capsule from the German company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann.
The presented unit, of course, should be considered only as an example, because in its design the entire Trakker series is based on a common, modular component base, which is also largely used in the Stralis road line. As a result, with any technical limitations, it is possible to obtain a number of target versions made from flexibly selected basic modules, such as: cabins (short - day, long - sleeping, armored capsule cabins), engines and their settings, axles, axle drives, gearboxes and possibly transfer boxes, chassis spars and cross members, fuel tanks, power take-offs, number, type and size of tires, etc. This allows for 4x4 variations, 6x4, 6x6, 8 drive systems ×4, 8×6, 8×8 and 10×8, with different drivetrain components or wheelbases, all lend themselves to varying degrees of militarization.
The package of changes presented by Iveco concerns two main areas - civil and military. In a purely civil law sense, improvements are derived from the processes taking place in this market, including those arising from applicable legal regulations and fluctuations in customer requirements. Therefore, first of all, improvements relate to: engines and improving driving comfort, increasing the level of safety and reducing the total cost of acquisition and disposal (TCO). In the current realities of the civil transportation market, the latter factor plays a key role.
In the case of engines, the most important feature from a civilian market point of view is compliance with the Euro 6 exhaust gas purity standard only through the use of SCR selective catalytic reduction, without the need for EGR exhaust gas recirculation. The Trakker is powered by Cursor series engines complemented by an advanced SCR system called the Iveco Hi-SCR. After the introduction of this patented solution, combined with further optimization of the combustion process, the efficiency of the system in reducing particulate NOx emissions is 95% compared to 80-85% in solutions used by major competitors. In addition, the optimization of the combustion process means even lower particulate emissions.
– soot, which in turn eliminates the need for enhanced regeneration of the DPF particulate filter. Only clean air is supplied to the engine, and not exhaust gases returning from the recirculation system, so the load on the engine is significantly reduced. The consequence of this is an increase in service intervals, including oil change intervals - under exceptionally favorable conditions, mileage can reach up to 150 km. This results in lower operating costs and lost time associated with inspections.
The second package of changes concerns the interior - its exterior and interior. Outside, the new front grille is stylistically much more interesting than the previous one, with more restrained curves and more pronounced air intake fins. In addition, the dummy visually harmonizes better with the appearance of the cabin of the armored capsule, which makes it even more difficult to identify it visually. Mock-ups of different heights can be used - lower and higher, the latter - in the case of a higher and higher installation of the cabin armored capsule. The change in height occurs in it by raising above the air intake a part that has the same shape and size, regardless of the height of the dummy. In the cabin, improvements were aimed at further improving the comfort of work and rest, as a result, among other things, improving visibility (this feature does not apply to armored capsule cabins due to the limited glass area in the windows) and changing the position of switches and control panels.
Engine decompression brake, hydraulic retarder, radio and cruise controls are conveniently located around the control panel. Controls and switches remain clearly visible and easily accessible from the driver's seat. The new mirror adjustment raises the ergonomics to a level that is typical for civilian trucks. As a rule, the use of COTS (commercial off-the-shelf) components provides maximum safety and usability for fleets, including by reducing the cost of ordering and subsequent maintenance.
In addition, Trakker has options specifically designed for militarized MOTS (military serial) chassis from the civilian market. Among them: DAS systems (Driver Attention Support) - supporting the driver's attention; hill hold function for easier hill starts; a reinforced generator and LDWS (Lane Departure System) - a system that warns the driver about an unintentional lane change. All this increases the safety and reliability of transport.
The following civilian improvements include: a more efficient air conditioning system; improved sound insulation inside the cabin; new 16-speed IVECO ZF EuroTronic 2 automatic transmission and optional ZF-Intarder, complemented by the innovative ADM-2 (Automatic Drivetrain Management) system. There is also an IVECO EasyMux electronic architecture useful for maintenance and repair.
Thanks to these improvements, the new Trakker can be positively distinguished by reduced operating, maintenance and inspection costs, which, combined with an increase in the so-called. residual value results in a lower total cost of ownership, which is also increasingly important from a military perspective.
