HMMWVs With Armor Kits: Meeting an Urgent Need for A/C
In December 2003, the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) contacted Red Dot with an urgent need for air conditioning.
After fitting High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs) with armor kits, the military said temperatures inside those vehicles could top 130 degrees F. TACOM needed a durable, high-performance air conditioner to protect soldiers from the heat.
Because of Red Dot’s experience with on- and off-highway commercial vehicles, we were able to respond quickly with a high-performance air conditioner for a rough, hot, dusty environment.
On Jan. 7, 2004, we met with TACOM officials and one week later engineered a prototype capable of lowering the temperature inside the armor-kitted HMMWV cab by as much as 45 degrees F.
On March 12, 2004, Red Dot was awarded our first military contract: an order to build 9,740 air conditioning unit kits for Army HMMWVs. Production began on April 4, 2004, less than 90 days after the initial prototype.
To keep the military components out of the mainstream of Red Dot's commercial production, we developed a 36-hour shift spanning Friday, Saturday, and Sunday with the capacity to build 200 unit kits a day. Quality control is critical: since the kits are installed in theater, no one can afford a missing screw or a mislabeled part.
The success of the product and the company's ability to design and deliver it quickly has led to additional DOD contracts, including agreements to provide OE installations for military vehicle suppliers. Red Dot has become the Army's preferred supplier of air conditioning units for vehicles with field-fitted armor.
