The new engine from the Rolls-Royce Power Systems division is part of the mtu 199 series, which already includes six- and eight-cylinder units and is the best-selling military engine series in its class. The new V10 takes performance to a new level
Rolls-Royce did not specify the final output of the V10 engine, but confirmed that it is diesel-powered and can be supplemented with hydraulic units, air compressors and generators. It is currently rated at 1,495bhp or 1,100kW, but Rolls-Royce Power Systems' head of military engine and systems development Christian Wolf says the firm is already working on a 1,631bhp (1,200kW) version.
Such power figures are made possible by hybridisation. Rolls-Royce has combined a V10 with a battery-electric unit. As well as increasing power, the use of a hybrid system also helps to make armoured vehicles less noisy. For example, the batteries can be charged using the V10 diesel engine and then used to power the vehicle's electrical systems without the noise and heat trail that makes them difficult to detect.
“This propulsion concept will expand the operational possibilities of future tracked armored vehicles in a way that was previously hardly imaginable,” Wolf described. “We are convinced that we are making an important contribution to the further development of the defense capabilities of NATO and its allies. For the first time, vehicle manufacturers will be able to realize completely new vehicle concepts, whereby the hybrid concept can in principle be implemented with any engine series from the mtu military propulsion program.”
Source: Rolls-Royce
