Up-armored vehicle fleet upgraded and ready to "roll" Published Dec. 28, 2012 By Senior Airman Jose L. Hernandez Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- In early 2012, the 5th Logistics Readiness Squadron began the initiative of upgrading Team Minot's Up-Armored vehicle fleet with modifications designed to improve their reliability and safety. The team also began the process for fielding the proper number of up-armored vehicles to meet the demand for sustaining the mission of both wings here. After careful analysis and identifying areas of improvement, capacity constraints, and process improvement opportunities among other aspects, leadership developed a plan to implement the changes. With the appropriate coordination, Team Minot was able to receive an additional 60 AM General Corporation M1165A1 Up-Armored Highly Mobile Multi Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs). The teams identified more than 40 modifications for improvement which were serviced on as soon as the first shipment of vehicles arrived. Some of the improvements on the vehicles included: · Installation and sealing of sacrificial glass on top of the factory installed glass to reduce replacement expenditures. · Installation of engine Murphy Switches to automatically shut engine down if it exceeds 250 F. · Foam insulation installed at corners of windshields. · Applied urethane sealant to up-armored cab in order to reduce drafts and improve heating. · M1165 Cabin Heater Upgrade which improved interior cab temperatures by 60 percent. · Re-designed Bearcat AST (tire run-flat tool) which saves three to four hours per assembly on tire installation/removal. · Implementation of run-flat rim adhesive to reduce Bearcat AST tire wear/cupping. · Installation of Brake Springs, a technician created concept to curve problematic uneven wear issue experience on M1165 vehicles. · Creation of M1165 operator brake inspection tool which instructs operators on brake inspection tool use, which has curbed $13,200 worth of premature rotor losses to date. · Procured synthetic oil waiver to utilize on vehicles--it is better suited for climate conditions at Minot. Not only were there improvements to the vehicle itself but to its storage and maintenance facilities as well. The 5th LRS coordinated the stand up of a new work center with 10 technicians and six new vehicle lifts for maintenance, as well as a new heavy duty vehicle alignment rack. They also increased up-armored storage capacity by 30 percent by acquiring parts storage containers and procured a tire balancer for the humvees and armored security trucks, which help increase tire life by 30 percent. These are only a portion of the upgrades to Minot's up-armored fleet, which currently stands at more than 130 vehicles. A great majority of these improvements reduce maintenance expenditures and go a long way in helping keep security members in a safer environment during excessively freezing temperatures in the field. One of the more noticeable installations to the Humvees however, was the Drive Right speed recorder, a system that tracks various metrics of the vehicle including over speed, hard acceleration and hard braking. Lt. Col. Sean Wade, 5th LRS commander, said these systems were installed in order to help Vehicle Maintenance obtain data on how the vehicles are being driven. "With this data, we can ensure that the HMWWVs are not exceeding the maximum tolerances for speed, braking, and acceleration," said Wade. "The data allows us to pinpoint some of the causes of the accelerated brake wear issues that the new M1165s are having." Operators also have limitations as to how fast they can drive and the system allows for better tracking and accountability. Reduced speed limits also help to increase fuel efficiency. Overall, the installation of the upgrades took approximately 6000 hours of manpower work by a six-man team dedicated to the stand-up. "These improvements have been extensive," stated Wade. "From standing up a satellite repair facility within the 91st Security Forces Group Defender dome, procuring additional spare parts, to improving maintenance practices, the Vehicle Management team has achieved multiple milestones and has benchmarked more than five initiatives for Air Force Global Strike Command."