The purpose of this course is to enable you to better understand the scope of their future employment, in particular the military requirements for achieving and maintaining battlespace superiority.

This involves appreciating both the opportunities and constraints presented by emerging technologies and legacy systems, so that participants can put their own educational and employment specialisation into a whole-system context. 

The course is offered as a Continuing Professional Development course both in the UK and worldwide and an accredited course in the USA as part of VWE MSc (this course is a  mandatory course for all new TARDEC Associates).

At a glance

  • Dates
    • 20 - 24 Jan 2025
  • Duration5 days
  • Location¹û½´ÊÓƵ¹ÙÍø at Shrivenham
  • Cost£2,100

Course structure

A 5 day course covering lectures and demonstrations in front of the equipment (Challenger 2, BMPs, T72, Warrior, etc) in the Defence Capability Centre. Computer exercise/practical sessions to further consolidate the understanding of main design drivers and constraints of fighting vehicles.

What you will learn

On successful completion you will be able to:

  • Recognise and identify the key design and development features of armoured fighting vehicles,
  • Formulate the inter-relationships and trade-offs between the wide-ranging vehicle system technologies involved,
  • Better understand the technological possibilities and constraints presented by these technologies for future vehicles,
  • Put their own knowledge into context, and thereby deliver added value to future design solutions.

Core content

AFV design characteristics, attack of armour and IEDs, terminal ballistics, AFV transmissions and steering, armour materials and structure, terramechanics, wheeled vehicle drivelines, suspension and ride, tracked vehicle running gear design, mobility, weapon fire control and stabilisation system, AFV power requirement, gun and cannon installation, HUMS, AFV engines, surveillance systems, signature reduction techniques, defensive aid systems, power sources and energy management, electric transmission systems, drive by wire, EMP, EMC and software issues, vehicle systems integration, battle space management system, hybrid options, AFV packaging and armour distribution.

Who should attend

  • Test and evaluation engineers, design and development engineers, manufacturing and industrial engineers, specification engineers, physicists and mathematicians working in the fighting vehicle design, researchers and analysts new to the subject and intend working in the design and development of fighting vehicles
  • Military personnel, government civil servants, defence industry, acquisition and procurement staff from DoD
  • Graduates, who intend to take up a career in defence technology (DoD and industry).

Speakers

Abroad/Bespoke

On site:

Location and travel

Cranfield Defence and Security (CDS) is based at the Ministry of Defence establishment on the Oxfordshire/Wiltshire borders.

Shrivenham itself lies in the picturesque Vale of the White Horse, close to the M4 motorway which links London and South Wales. It is 7 miles from Swindon, the nearest town, which lies off the M4 at the hub of Britain’s motorway network.

Bath, Cheltenham, Bristol and Oxford are all within an hour’s drive and London less than two hours away by car.

All visitors must be pre-booked in at reception by the person they are visiting on the campus.

For further location and travel details

How to apply

To apply for this course please use the online application form.

Read our Professional development (CPD) booking conditions.