Post-IED Hull Inspection Tool Navy SBIR FY2012.3 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2012.3 Topic No.: N123-156 Topic Title: Post-IED Hull Inspection Tool Proposal No.: N123-156-0200 Firm: Evisive, Inc. 8867 Highland Rd. Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70808-6800 Contact: Karl Schmidt Phone: (215) 962-0658 Web Site: www.evisive.com Abstract: This project will identify a toolset which can be used by forward deployed Marines to assess structural damage to combat vehicles hulls following IED events. Improving the quality of Battle Damage Assessment in the field will reduce safety risk from vehicles returned to service without inspection, improve vehicle availability for vehicles unnecessarily sent to higher echelon for repair, as well as reducing cost for unnecessary returns or improperly scrapped equipment. In the Phase I project, Evisive will identify combinations of COTS and novel equipment which can be organized in a Toolset suitable for conduct of a Battle Damage Assessment and Repair (BDAR) inspection in a field environment. Evisive will work with the Marine Corps to identify target vehicles and armor systems, and will evaluate NDE technologies based on failure characteristics mutually established with the Marine Corps. Evisive will develop a specification, conceptual design, and plan to develop and test a toolset for post-IED hull inspection in the field. In addition to effective detection of the failure characteristics in individual materials, the tools must have ruggedness appropriate to forward deployment field use; user training requirements compatible with vehicle crew skills; and, applicability in adverse conditions including coatings and debris. Benefits: Effective post-IED battle damage assessment is essential to maintaining the safety of combat vehicle crews, and to cost effective maintenance of potentially damaged vehicles. Failure to detect damaged armor exposes the vehicle crew to unidentified battle hazard. Incorrectly returning vehicles to maintenance facilities reduces vehicle availability in-theater, and adds to maintenance cost. A toolset is required for Post-IED hull inspection of combat vehicles to support combat vehicle survivability inspection and analyses. Blast and shrapnel impact may render armor ineffective by causing surface and subsurface cracking, work hardening, and delamination and cracking of composite materials and constituent components. In many cases the damage is not visibly discernible. However, current Battle Damage Assessment and Repair (BDAR) analysis is dependent on visual inspection. The required Post-IED Hull Inspection Tool will enable vehicle crews to conduct effective Battle Damage Assessment in the diverse materials and field conditions. The toolset must be suitable for use by forward deployed vehicles crews, to provide a go/no-go decision to return a vehicle to maintenance or continue to conduct operations. The toolset must be usable by vehicle crew members, and be suitable for use in the dark, carried out roadside, with Chemical Agent Resistant Coating (CARC) paint on the damaged area, including application to surfaces on the underside and sides of the vehicle while it is in its operational configuration. There is very little clearance underneath the vehicle, and limited access to side surfaces. This project will leverage successes in SBIR Topics A072-186 Non-destructive Evaluation (NDE) and Testing of Ceramic Armor, and A082-144, Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) for Ground Vehicles, to select, merge and deploy a Post-IED hull inspection tool kit. Letters of support from URS, who are responsible to the Marine Corps for development of the Marine Expeditionary Force equipment compliment; the Stryker Program Management Office; and Army Research Laboratory are included. Return