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2021-09-01

Nexter and CKP Engineering to Experiment on Leclerc Tank

Nexter and CKP Engineering were recently awarded a contract to test predictive maintenance on the Leclerc tank. The contract was awarded by the SIMMT (Structure intégrée de maintien en condition opérationnelle des matériels terrestres).

The project was born in March 2020, a few months after the Forum Enterprises Défense (FED), during which CKP Engineering was hosted by the MCO-T and the GICAT in the show’s innovation area. The SIMMT wanted CKP to join forces with a military vehicle manufacturer to carry out a predictive maintenance experiment on the oil circuit of a vehicle. Wishing to instrument the engine of the Leclerc tank, CKP turned to Nexter to collaborate on the project.

After the launch of a pre-study phase, this order enables the integration of HUMS-type sensors and post-processing algorithms supplied by CKP Engineering on the engine oil circuit of a Leclerc demonstrator. After several days of testing, the data collected will be analysed jointly by teams from CKP and Nexter’s Customer Services Department (CSD), who will publish their results later this year. This type of collaboration, where a French industrial prime contractor and a new French company share their skills, is one of the objectives promoted by the SIMMT as part of the MCO-T 2025 strategic plan.

CKP Engineering, an innovative company founded by Julien Ferrazzo, is recognised for its powertrain architectures (engine, gearbox, and transmissions). On the other hand, Nexter is relying on the technical expertise and experience acquired over the past 10 years in the in-service support of the Leclerc tank. By taking part in this experiment, the company intends to capitalise on its investments made as part of the ERMES programme (2019-2021), which consisted of deploying HUMS sensors on a fleet of 40 VBCIs in the Mourmelon and Canjuers training grounds. The analysis of the field data has now been shared with the French defence procurement agency (DGA) and the SIMMT in order to optimise the management of this vehicle fleet.

Ferrazzo said: “We are bringing together the best of both worlds. More than a vehicle, Nexter brings us architects who have experience in the field. Together, we are sure to succeed.”

While Michel Fornos, head of the innovation and training department within Nexter’s CSD, added: “This experiment has the merit of showing the operational reality of predictive maintenance, which makes it possible to consider its deployment on all or part of the fleets in service.”

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