IDEX 2017: Timoney Technology offering development assistance to armoured vehicle makers

Ireland-based Timoney Technology is offering its expertise in developing and manufacturing under hull chassis solutions (e.g. suspension systems) to new and emergent armoured vehicle makers.

In its press release for the 2017 International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEX), Timoney cites its 50 years of experience in developing systems for off-load vehicles and claims that its work can reduce the “timelines and development costs through the initial stages of new vehicle programmes by as much as 75% compared to traditional methods.”

Timoney believes it can support established and emerging vendors alike. Through Timoney’s development work, incumbent suppliers will be able to cut costs and, in turn, offer more competitive products.

Emerging players, especially those with limited capacity to develop critical components (e.g. drivetrains), can utilize Timoney’s “wide range of automotive design, development and prototyping skills” to deploy technology that would require years (and considerable funding) to develop.

Transfer-of-technology and licensing of Timoney intellectual property is also available. Timoney’s says that its support can be leveraged to develop 4×4, 6×6 and 8×8 armoured vehicle solutions.

Serbian defence vendor YugoImport-SDPR selected Timoney’s T900 modular driveline system for its Lazar-3 8×8 armoured fighting vehicle and the T700 modular driveline system for the 4×4 MILOSH light armoured utility/transport vehicle.

Notes & Comments:

Considering the growing number of emerging armoured vehicle makers in South Asia, the Middle East, East Asia, Central Europe, North and Sub-Saharan Africa should provide Timoney Technology with ample opportunity to establish co-production partnerships.

It would be interesting to see if Pakistan capitalizes upon this opportunity. Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) and the Pakistani private sector have been tasked with supplying the Pakistan Army as well as Pakistan’s paramilitary outfits with affordable, but capable, armoured vehicles. Instead of spending close to US $1 million on an imported system, it would be prudent to initiate the domestic development of local systems.

Timoney Technology could aid in developing drivetrains, suspension and other under hull chassis work support, enabling Pakistan to accelerate its development with relatively limited risk and costs.

Besides Pakistan, Nigeria, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are also striving to locally manufacture armoured vehicles, both for domestic use and for export. The UAE, specifically NIMR Automotive, began manufacturing the N35-series of mine-resistant ambush-protected (MRAP) vehicles following a 2015 deal with Denel Vehicle Systems to bring RG-35 MRAP production to the UAE. Timoney could help NIMR further indigenize (via technology transfers and licensing) its supply chain for the N35’s components. Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan could do the same with their Paramount Group-origin vehicles.