US Military To Build Stealth Motorcycle

[micropage7]

Stealth technology has been around for some time now. The military have used the technology in its varying forms on all sorts of vehicles from jet fighters to submarines. But I do not think that anyone has yet to construct a stealth motorcycle. Well, apparently all that is about to change. The U.S. military have approved funding to develop a hybrid, stealth motorcycle. The cycle is to be ridden by members of special operations teams in the future.
Who has funded the exercise? DARPA of course!
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has issued a substantial grant to integrate a multiple fuel, hybrid-electric power plant into a dirt bike that is to be built by BRD Motorcycles .
Logos Technologies will build the hybrid electric engine and according to them this will be the first hybrid-electric dirt bike ever built.
DARPA leaders have foreseen an electric bike, which can ride for an extensive range whilst producing nearly zero engine noise.
Honda’s NM4 Vultus demonstrates the sort of styling the US Army will be looking at for their Stealth Motorcycle.
Wade Pulliam, manager of advanced concepts at Logos Technologies said, “Quieted,
all-wheel- drive capability at extended range in a lightweight, rugged, single-track vehicle could support the successful operations of U.S. expeditionary and special forces in extreme terrain conditions and contested environments…With a growing need to operate small units far from logistical support, the military may increasingly rely on adaptable, efficient technologies like this hybrid-electric motorcycle.”
The motorcycle’s stealth will be a creation of its hybrid-electric engine, which will allow soldiers to ride for long periods on rough terrain while emitting virtually no engine noise.
The hybrid drive system would give the bike more range than a exclusively electric system. This is going to be the first time that a hybrid drive system will be incorporated onto a motorcycle, a Logos official said.
http://news.filehippo.com/2014/04/us-military-build-stealth-motorcycle/
http://defensetech.org/2014/04/15/pentagon-wants-to-build-a-stealth-dirt-bike/

 

[MT Alex]

So lame and such a waste.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

I'd rather they kill this idea and get back to the Comanche which actually has some practicality behind it (you know, like RADAR actually trying to find them). If you want a "stealth motorcycle," all you need to do is make a battery operated bike. DARPA doesn't need to get involved in that. Just put out a contract for a prototype with the winner of the prototype competition being guaranteed and order of # many. They'll get submissions from all over the world and they can likely get their bikes for less than $10k each. SpecOps gets what they need and taxpayers don't get screwed: win-win.

 

[Peter1986C]

That is what they did with the first Jeeps (originally http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willys_MB]Willys MB) AFAIK.

 

[rooivalk]

It's not simply about stealth motorcycle, the article actually said it: it's a bike that can adapt with multiple fuel and low noise capability on top of usual military stuffs - rugged, light, capable, long range, simple logistic, etc. It's no easy task.

I think Comanche would be extreme waste of money instead. Designed as illuminator for the killer (Apache), that's a very niche role that many could do / already shared (drones, AWACS, spec ops, Apache, Fighter, other combatants), especially with network-centric army.

Stealth Blackhawk on the other hand...

 

[FordGT90Concept]

Comanche is the helicopter form of the F-22. Like the F-22, the Comanche has a small internal payload but, if necessary, that payload can be expanded using wing pylons at the cost of stealth and speed. You send Comanche/F-22 in to blow up communications and RADAR installations and then send in the Apaches/F-35s behind it to decimate their ability to fight back. A stealth troop transport (don't know the official name of it) can be escorted by the Comanche and is used to seize targets rather than destroy/disable them.


Back on topic: I'd argue the benefits of getting prototypes made specifically to fill the requirements doesn't warrant the cost of doing it. It's substantially cheaper and only marginally less effective just to buy and modify a mass produced model already available.