Feature MT 5/2022 · 31 the database is well fed, it will also be possible to compare similar parts and propose modifications or standardisation to a single model. A small curiosity: the parts produced are identical to the originals from a functional point of view but not entirely from an aesthetic point of view, to avoid problems with the intellectual property of the material being produced. It is worth noting that 3D printed parts are not cheap, quite the contrary. What makes them cost-effective is their relative value. In the case of the M-113, prolonging its operational life means postponing very expensive purchase of a replacement. Also, high costs are justified in the case of real operations. For example, Norway has already experimented with 3D production of mechanical parts during its operations in Afghanistan. The production of 3D-printed spare parts is not widespread because the technology does not allow the machining of hard materials such as the steels and metals that characterise the core parts of a vehicle. Using other materials means having a very expensive part to produce with a limited service life. However, during in-theatre operations, this capability has proved significant. In Afghanistan, Norwegian 3D printers made it possible to temporarily repair vehicles while waiting for the appropriate spare parts to arrive. This has made it possible to restore vehicles damaged during ambushes or, more simply, to keep up the availability of the fleet, a vital requirement. In general, the prospects of the Additive Manufacturing sector are very good and are part of the broader attempt to reduce the logistical burden of military operations. For this reason, the European Defence Agency (EDA) has also studied a demonstrator that mirrors the Norwegian one. Aware of the potential, in 2018 EDA commissioned a feasibility study at the conclusion of which it created a laboratory to be tested under operational conditions. The test conducted by EDA in 2019 saw the demonstrator engaged in support of French and Spanish troops. The EDA laboratory is also mounted on an ISO20 container, but it is not expandable, so it is one third the size of the Norwegian one. Even though the EDA lab was very small and produced apparently simpler parts than the examples shown in the Norwegian iteration, EDA technicians claim that the deployed technology ensures greater availability of spare parts in a shorter time and at a lower cost. Results of the study have been delivered, and are still fuelling a number of debates at EDA’s Incubation Forum for Circular Economy in European Defence (IF CEED). Concluding Remarks The green revolution triggered by global warning and the need for an ecologic transition is no longer simply a pacifist mantra. A few emerging technologies suggest that controlling and managing the commons can be a game-changer in time of war. A reduced environmental footprint can result in greater survivability for a combat unit – counterintuitive and futuristic, yet valid, according to ongoing encouraging experiments. an electrician) once installed. Installation takes two days for a team of six. STEM makes it possible to purify and distribute water from natural sources such as a river, a well, or a lake. The water is purified by initial filtration and then by reverse osmosis. The STEM can draw up to 50m3 of water per day and redistribute 25-30m3 of it (depending on the conditions and salinity of the source), with a volume of 6m3 per hour at maximum capacity. In terms of volume, that result is impressive, but the efficiency is still not exciting. In fact, 20-25m3 is lost in the purification process. The remaining portion of water is further divided between drinking water (60%) and non-potable but usable water (40%). The purification process strips drinking water of all mineral salts. Therefore, before drinking it, STEM ‘re-mineralises’ the water by means of special tabs that are inserted into the large rubber tanks used as a reserve. Despite the waste of water, according to French officials, the STEM is a great advance in their ability to supply water, as it is capable of four times the performance of the Unité Mobile de Traitement d’Eau (UMTE) it replaces. But it is clear that there is yet much room for improvement in the purification processes. Producing water is another possible pathway, and it is currently under evaluation. Results are promising, but the relevant technology will mature slowly. Take, as an example, the innovative VERAGON V12 atmospheric water generator, four of which are in service with the Italian Air Force for its forward operating bases. The V12 can provide up to 1,050l of drinking water per day under optimal conditions (30°C and humidity above 80%). Technically, a minimum production of water is always possible, even at low temperatures and humidity levels, but under such conditions the utility of the system decreases (according to the data sheet, below 17°C production is risible). Repairing and Maintaining The most pertinent topic in this segment is Additive Manufacturing (AM). We can use Fieldmate’s (a Norwegian company) NOMAD maintenance facility as an example. It is an expandable ISO20 shelter (a total of 3 sections, one in the middle and two on the sides) that houses a moulding machine inside small glass-enclosed and sterilised rooms. The example shown had four machines, but the system is modular, so further shelters can be added. NOMAD is already used by the Norwegian armed forces to produce spare parts for land vehicles in plastic, light metal, or composite materials. From an industrial point of view, producing parts in 3D has made it possible to keep in service dated vehicle fleets for which spare parts are in short supply. For example, the Norwegian M-113A2 line used spare parts that no longer existed and were recreated in the laboratory by reverse engineering. Scanners created a virtual model and took all the measurements, which were then sent to the manufacturing machines. Each piece takes between six hours and two days to be complete, depending on complexity. Some parts need to be finished (chamfered, polished, etc.) by an operator within a small, well-equipped workshop area. Each new part is added to a catalogue that grows over time. Once Marco Giulio Barone is a political-military analyst based in Paris, and a regular contributor to Monch magazines. The solar/wind hybrid complex produced by Pfisterer and tested by the Lithuanian army. Glimpse of the STEM water purification system. Note, on the ground, the rubber tanks.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTM5Mjg=