“This bill continues the strong support that our military men and women deserve as they are engaged in combat abroad, and it authorizes the investments necessary to adequately equip our forces in the future,” said Levin. “I am pleased that the committee continues to recognize the strong contributions of Michigan’s companies and universities in supporting our military services through innovative research, manufacturing, and engineering.”

The bill authorizes over $184 million for Army research on combat vehicle and automotive technologies. This includes work on systems to protect Army vehicles against rocket propelled grenades, improvised explosive devices and explosively formed projectiles; advanced materials for combat and tactical vehicle armor; more efficient engines; fuel cell and hybrid electric vehicles; unmanned ground vehicles; computer simulations for vehicle design and training of Army personnel; and technology partnerships with the automotive industry. This research is performed and managed by the Army Tank and Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Command (TARDEC) and its National Automotive Center (NAC), both located in Warren, Michigan. TARDEC is the leading laboratory for research and development of advanced military vehicle technologies for the Department of Defense (DoD).

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$2.0 million for continued research into nano-engineered transparent armor. Current ballistic glass adds hundreds of pounds to military vehicles and poses other problems including distortion and glare. This ongoing project is working to solve these issues through the development of nano-engineered armor materials for transparent and opaque armor systems. NanoCerox of Ann Arbor is currently conducting research on nano-engineered transparent armor solutions with TARDEC.