INDUSTRY INTERVIEW
Special Operations Technology
Rich Haddad General Manager Polaris Defense Q: Could you tell our readers about some of the solutions that you presently offer to the military? A: Polaris Defense provides the United States and its allies with a family of ultra-light off-road vehicles including the MV850 all-terrain vehicle (ATV), MRZR Lightweight Tactical All-Terrain Vehicles (LTATV) and Dagor ultra-light combat vehicle (ULCV). Our newest vehicle, the Dagor ULCV, was designed to fill a mobility gap for light infantry, special operations forces to meet an immediate threat. The gap was a vehicle that is easily transported by tactical air, carries enough payload to be mission-effective and carries its full payload in extreme off-road terrain. Dagor is built with trophy truck-inspired suspension to carry 3,250 pounds of payload or a nine-man infantry squad at a higher rate of speed over terrain usually traveled on foot. This allows the warfighter to move quickly to the objective with mission-critical equipment. We are proud that Dagor fills that gap and can be supported with a COTS supply chain anywhere in the world, making it easy to use and maintain. We have worked with our special forces customers to quickly field the MRZR2 and MRZR4 LTATVs. These vehicles are highly mobile off-road platforms and can be configured a number of ways to help U.S. and international expeditionary forces meet mission demands and emerging threats. The MRZR2 and MRZR4 LTATVs can be supplied with accessories, spare parts, mechanical and operator training. Both vehicles can be configured a number of ways, including two- and four-person variants for the MRZR LTATV. Air transport certifications include air drop, CH-47 internal and V-22. In addition to the family of ultralight combat vehicles, Polaris provides government and military customers with Ranger side-by-side utility vehicles; Brutus diesel side-by-side utility vehicles with a front power take-off system; Terrainarmor airless tires on MV850, Ranger, and Brutus 28 | SOTECH 13.2
conducting research and development with internal funds and bringing products like Dagor to the market quickly; Dagor was produced in less than two years, from concept to production. In the rapidly changing threat environment that our military faces, we feel Polaris Defense provides real value in the ultra-light mobility space. Q: What are the advantages you bring as a commercial company providing commercial-off-the-shelf solutions?
models; the Ranger with Hippo MPS; and snowmobiles. Other off-road capabilities that Polaris Defense provides include Polaris unmanned and optionally manned vehicles that are ready to accept robotics hardware and software without impacting traditional operation of the vehicles; Primordial Ground Guidance software that helps plan fast and concealed routes onand off-road for dismounted and mounted soldiers as well as Klim technical riding gear made to protect operators from extreme weather as well as flames and abrasions. And through its Global Electric Motorcars brand of electric vehicles, Polaris provides a Low Speed Vehicle for on-road use. Across all its product lines, Polaris uses robust commercial off-theshelf components to provide faster speed to market, intuitive operation and easier maintenance worldwide. Q: Why has Polaris been successful in the Defense market? A: Polaris Defense is quick to respond to warfighter needs with highly mobile, ultra-light off-road vehicles using robust commercial-off-the-shelf components for quicker speed to market and easier maintenance worldwide. Our expertise in off-road-vehicles is unmatched in Power Sports or Defense industries and it brings significant performance and cost advantages to military customers. Polaris Defense reduces risk to our military and government customers by
A: The commercial industry brings gamechanging resources to the military, and off-road mobility is an excellent area that can be met by the world-class off-road industry. Commercial parts from companies like Polaris Defense are typically lower-priced and tend to have cheaper sustainment with worldwide availability. We also can provide faster fielding times because we are geared for speed to market. Q: What technologies and vehicle advancements are you bringing to ultralight off-road vehicles? A: Polaris is known for off-road vehicle innovation and with a large percentage of our engineers having military backgrounds, we’re able work with the military customer to gain a thorough understanding of their off-road mobility needs. One recent example of this is our Terrainarmor non-pneumatic tires, now available on the MV850 ATV. This breakthrough tire technology is engineered to maintain operability after sustaining tire damage that would destroy a typical pneumatic tire. They also are designed for peak performance at full vehicle payload and eliminate the need for an on-vehicle spare, which increases available payload and reduces the logistical burden. Terrainarmor tires are designed, tested and proven at more than 6,000 miles at full combat load, more than 1,000 miles with railroad spikes driven through them and more than 1,000 miles after being shot by an M4 or AK47. O www.SOTECH-kmi.com