The Oshkosh 1070F (8×8) heavy equipment transporter (HET) became the new British Army heavy tank transporter in 2001 replacing the Scammel Commander.
The vehicle has been in production by Oshkosh since 1992 and more than 2,600 of them to the US Army in various engine configurations such as the 1070E and the 1070E1.
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The UK version (1070F) had to be supplied with compliance to European legislation on emissions (EURO III).
British Army heavy equipment transporter contract
The British Army heavy transporter contract was awarded as a 20-year private finance initiative (PFI) to the FASTRAX consortium (Kellogg Brown and Root, Deutsche Bank and the Oshkosh Truck).
FASTTRAX was awarded the £290m whole-life-cost contract for 92 tractor trucks, 89 King GTS 110/7 semi-trailers along with three Tru-Hitch recovery systems and also staff to operate them as Sponsored Reserves in January 2001. The vehicles were delivered by Oshkosh between 2003 and 2004.
Oshkosh 1070F HET design and features
The Oshkosh 1070F HET has the same basic chassis and axle set-up as the M1070 model, but the cab, engine and transmission were changed to meet the European requirements.
The cab is an all-steel affair with two doors that seats six. The driver and front passenger are seated on suspension seats and the four passengers in the back are on a bench seat able to convert into two double bunks (the full crew for the truck and loaded tank is 12).
The 1070F’s cab is 2.59m wide (3.67m including the mirrors), the height is 3.74m, the length is 9.49m, the ground clearance is 0.40m and the unladen weight is 20t (unladen weight with trailer is 46t).
The 1070F is equipped with an Eaton VORAD sideways radar to visualise blind spots on the nearside and has Rockwell air actuated S-cam Bendix ABS/ATC brakes.
Caterpillar C-18 engine
The 1070F uses the Caterpillar C-18 engine, which is an 18.1l six-cylinder in-line turbocharged and after-cooled diesel power unit that can produce 700hp and 2,576Nm torque at 1,300rpm. The vehicle provides the necessary power to move its 118,050kg gross combined weight (72t Challenger II tank) at a speed of 80km/h on tarmac surfaces and 38km/h on a 2.5% gradient.
The transmission used in the 1070F is the Allison HD 4076P, seven-speed automatic with TC-561 torque converter and second gear start. The truck (maximum speed of 85km/h) has a total fuel capacity of 947l with a range of 325 miles.
The Oshkosh also has a central tyre inflation system (CTIS) operated via a series of buttons on the dash (‘CC’ for cross-country, ‘HWY’ for normal on a highway, ‘MSS’ for mud, snow and sand) that can keep a tyre inflated even if a bullet goes through it. The tyres used for the UK 1070F are Michelin 425/95 R20 (16.00 R20) 22 ply tubeless.
Trailer used with the 1070F
The rig is fitted with a twin winch giving dual 24.9t pulling capacity and uses a 26t, 17.28m-long Kings GTS 100 hydraulic tilting trailer (designed and built by King Trailers Limited of Market Harborough, Leicestershire, UK) and 285/70R 19.5 (150/147J) tubeless tyres at a pressure of 116PSI.
There are five steering axles on the trailer, the 1st, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th and the whole vehicle has a turning circle of 30.5m and a fording depth of 0.7m.
Steering and auxiliary systems
The steering system for the rig is a two-axle Ackerman (front and rear) with integral hydraulic with dual steering gears on the front axle (20.1:1 front steering gear ratio, 25.0:1 rear steering gear ratio and 2.21:1 rear steering reduction ratio).
The suspension system in the front is a Hendrickson parabolic taper leaf spring and in the rear is a Tridem Hendrickson-Turner air ride.
The 1070F has an auxiliary diesel power pack consisting of a Lister Petter LPA2 twin-cylinder direct-injection diesel to provide backup hydraulic power for adjustment of the live ‘Hydroneck’, power steering system balance pressure adjustment and power override, and the suspension system raise/lower facility. This can also be used in a cold start for the main engine.
