Millbrook

Leading test and development facility, Millbrook, is home to the UK’s Battlefield Mission and works in partnership with the Ministry of Defence, vehicle manufacturers and associated supply chain organisations to ensure equipment destined for the front line is of the highest quality.

Such a demanding role is delivered by offering exhaustive, repeatable vehicle-based development programmes to defence forces and industry from across the globe.  As one of the world’s leading independent proving grounds, Millbrook replicates both on and off-road capabilities and undertakes accurate validation projects, within the most demanding timelines. This includes playing a pivotal role in bringing Urgent Operational Requirement (UOR) vehicles into service. Millbrook is able to provide complete testing solutions as it is backed up not only by 45 miles of test tracks but a suite of laboratories.

Here is an overview of Millbrook’s capabilities:

- Crash testing
- Durability & reliability
- Powertrain
- Emissions testing
- Homologation & Type Approval
- On-highway track facilities
- On- and off-highway technical facilities

Military ‘Real-life’ Vehicle Testing

Millbrook's engineers have spent the last ten years working closely with the military, further understanding how the MOD’s needs are evolving. This has enabled Millbrook to develop facilities that are focused on delivering the vehicle engineering solutions that are required today - and in the future - for both wheeled and tracked vehicles.

At the heart of Millbrook's military solutions is an ability to simulate the challenging usage conditions that might be faced anywhere in the world by a wide range of military vehicles. Millbrook has the following capabilities to undertake ‘real-life’ testing:

- Extensive network of on- and off-road tracks
- High security perimeter
- Laboratories for safety, powertrain and component testing
- On-site Vehicle Certification Agency office to ensure fast, efficient type approval

Blast protection for military vehicles

Millbrook has a global reputation for delivering bespoke testing solutions for the defence industry. As part of this capability, Millbrook has built a highly respected leading track record for supporting blast protection programmes for the military, security and civil sectors, helping to ensure vehicles destined for the front line are as safe as possible. Millbrook’s blast protection offering includes:

- Extensive crash trial experience and crash dummy technology which can measure up to 128 channels of data
- Calculation of a vehicle’s protection performance within ten minutes of a test
- The presentation of all occupant protection performance in customer-defined tabulated format, including DRIz and CWVP
- The direct comparison of results against mandated and customer specific injury reference values, providing pass or fail results
- Support for outside agencies, from government to the private sector, with the supply of its crash dummy technology, blast protection testing infrastructure and expertise, on-site at their own facilities

Market-leading Defence Testing

In addition, Millbrook has an unparalleled wealth of experience to call upon to assist its client-base in meeting wider military development and legislative test targets. Whether testing over the range of Millbrook’s on-site tracks or laboratories or at off-site locations, the team is able to present analysed, meaningful results in a timely and cost-effective manner. With such a comprehensive portfolio of military testing capabilities, Millbrook is ideally-placed to work with partners from across the military and related industry spectrums to deliver the results that clients demand – quickly, accurately and efficiently. Additional capabilities include:

- A unique, variable temperature emissions chamber (VTEC), which enables the evaluation and development of a wide range of vehicles, across a spectrum of ‘real-life’ conditions
- Tailoring EMC test programs to meet commercial as well as contractual requirements including DEF STAN 59-411 and 61-5 Part 6, followed by comprehensive testing in special EMC test chambers measuring up to 18m x 16m.  Facilities allow up to 5m wide vehicles to be tested in secure chambers even when supplied with firearms.
-  A tilt table which provides the capability to test both large and small military vehicles. Vehicles can be titled in line with their longitudinal axis to determine roll stability requirements, measurement of vehicle roll over angle and the height of centre of gravity, as well as vehicle function and performance measurements while operating on a side slope
- Whole body vibration test and development programmes. Whole body, as well as hand and arm vibration testing, is conducted to the latest EC (2002/44/EC) and ISO requirements (ISO 2631 and ISO 5349). Using state-of-the-art data acquisition systems and extensive test track facilities, Millbrook produces extremely accurate measurements on all vehicle types
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MORE INFORMATION

For more information about Millbrook’s military testing capabilities please call Bruce Lornie on +44 (0) 1525 408476 or email bruce.lornie@millbrook.co.uk, or call our business development team on +44 (0) 1525 408408