Cummins Inc., Columbus, Ind., was awarded an $87 million contract by the U.S. Army to complete the development of the Advanced Combat Engine (ACE), a modular and scalable diesel engine solution capable of hybridization that uses innovative opposed-piston (OP) technology to provide leap-ahead capabilities in power density and heat rejection not available in the current marketplace.
The recently awarded Other Transaction Authority (OTA) contract builds upon a competitive multi-year effort from the U.S. Army’s Ground Vehicle Systems Center to develop transformational powertrain technology that is power dense, thermally efficient, modular, scalable, and affordable enough to enable the toughest mobility, survivability, and lethality vehicle requirements. The OTA also allows for transitioning the new technology into the next generation of vehicle programs ahead of the programs’ launch dates.
ACE’s innovative OP technology provides a 50% increase in power density, a 20% reduction in heat rejection, and 13% improved fuel efficiency when compared to today’s best in class combat engine. ACE’s flexible layout options allow the engine to be configured in 3-cylinder, 4-cylinder, and 6-cylinder arrangements to deliver power ranging from 750 to 1,500 horsepower. ACE can be integrated into hybrid architectures enabling commonality, thereby eliminating the expensive logistical burden of having multiple combat powertrains and facilitating the incorporation of new electrified technologies.
“ACE offers the U.S. Army rock solid Cummins engine performance coupled with a configurable, flexible architecture to support their complete portfolio of combat vehicles,” said Norbert Nusterer, vice president and president of Cummins Power Systems. “ACE also offers the option to integrate into hybrid architectures and leverages Cummins’ expertise from investments already made in the commercial space. We are excited to expand and deepen our longstanding relationship with the U.S. Army and contribute more cutting-edge technologies that support the current and the next generation of combat vehicles.”
For more information:
Cummins Inc.
www.cummins.com/defense
