Vehicle Acoustic Signature Reduction

US troops are beginning to discover tactical advantages offered by quiet vehicles. This is partially due to the recent deployment of the Stryker. As a result, requests to reduce vehicle noise are becoming more frequent. The HMMWV will be used as a basis for developing an acoustic signature reduction process. The US ground vehicle fleet contains a large number of these vehicles being used in current theaters of war and the need to make them quieter is eminent. Development of an acoustic signature reduction kit will provide wide reaching benefits as HMMWV is being used in urban, convoy, and reconnaissance missions. Great Lakes Sound & Vibration (GLSV) proposes to use and expand proven experimental procedures to quantify vehicle acoustic signature and identify important noise sources. Interpretation of acquired data will yield conclusive identification and ranking of noise sources. Treatment concepts and specifications will be developed using both test results and detectability estimates. The comprehensive data-driven approach to the development of a treatment kit as well as a procedure for doing so differentiates this effort from others.