"Four wheels" of all-Italian strength, between technique and current events

(To Gianluca Celentano)
20/09/17

A jewel in the crown of Italian technological and mechanical tradition, an evolution of successes that, since the post-war period, has come to us as the world leader in heavy industrial construction vehicles.

We are talking about ASTRA and specifically about the ACTL (logistic tactical truck) that, with its characteristics, conforms and meets the needs of the modern Armed Forces.

Lots of news about ACTL, but I will keep on a technical and realistic line that maybe will evoke some nice memories. In fact, during the phases of verification and drafting of this piece I found that some information on the web is somewhat approximate and I do not deny the difficulties encountered to steal certain news to present you; "Sometimes it seemed more like an investigation than an article." I have to thank for his valuable support Agent Astra Dr. D'Arrezzo Ambrogio number one company Tekne, specialized in assisting 360 grades of Piacenza production giants.

In the summary I made I would like to immediately highlight the operational qualities of the ACTL, but also its technology and its mobility which, believe me, is unimaginable on any terrain, and who has had the opportunity to see some videos or "heavy trial" races you will probably have the same idea as me about 8x8 vehicles. I can argue that Astra is comparable, if not technologically superior, to the many famous American trucks.

From the remains of military vehicles

One ingenious and practical intuition was that of the engineer Mario Bertuzzi: to assemble with new projects the components of other vehicles that had been abandoned after the Second World War by the various armies. The noble goal was to build work machines to be used for the reconstruction of the country. The initials of the engineer, BM, to honor the merits, will follow the production Astra up to '94, when the name will change in civil in HD and HDD, or Heavy Duty, "robust or very robust".

A first historical site, with headquarters from 1951 in Piacenza for civil production - HD - and then one in Bolzano for the assembly of military vehicles that in the case of ACTL are called SM, Standard Military.

From the 2015, after the annexation of Astra by Iveco, the Group Defense Vehicles it undergoes a division of the Astra business unit, becoming the exclusive producer of the "operational" vehicles of national and foreign defense and civil protection.

The autodrappello

In the barracks, maybe during the night guards, rather than during the activities in the specialized warehouses or formal training, it will also happen to you to look under the sheds of the self-check in some logistic battalion, artillery or even genius, rows of motor vehicles perfectly aligned and spaced; among these there will certainly be a dated Astra BM ready for use.

The turning point

From the 1996 the Army and the FF.AA are called back out of the area, as had already happened in the 1982 with the mission Italcon. The conflicts in the Gulf and the Balkans highlight the need to renew both equipment and vehicles.

The XMUMX / 80 ACM, which can also be called an "unstoppable" machine and a worthy predecessor of the ACTL, did not fully meet the technical characteristics of modern Nato standards. In fact, it needed a transport, towing and loading capacity that was at least twice the amount offered by the ACM or the BM and therefore also more power and lower fuel consumption for the engines; but probably similar mechanics were necessary in a NATO context, where the availability of spare parts should not be a problem. Basically it was going out, perhaps a little 'quickly, from a functional and tested National defense scheme to embrace a much broader and more complex reality. Even the anti-pollution standards have led to substantial investments in this direction.

A bit of clarity: the progression from BM HD and SM

The old and robust BM vehicles, still present in the barracks, although not having the modern connotations Nato, were practically identical to those of civil production to such an extent that I could argue that the past production of Astra - news verified - has always "converted" maybe in a more Spartan, its civil production in military. On the other hand, as you know, its sales have always been focused on two predominant business sectors: quarries and construction sites and the Defense.

How the BM was

Actually it was similar to the current types, but it had very little electronics and maybe it was more "autochthonous"; to change were - in addition to an integral transmission system inserted by the conductor - the initially aspirated diesel engines of Iveco OM production remained in use until the half of the years' 90. It started from the historic 8 and 13000 cubic centimeters to 6 cylinders and 12 valves with respectively 166 cv the first and 260 the second, which was then the most widespread, and the turbo version carried the horses to 300 (more or less those of the ACM ). The 17 000 cc engine with 350 horses was also the same as the Iveco 370 bus, which I know well having driven a lot (maybe we'll cover it later). Who knows how many of you will remember it around the barracks or in scheduled services?

The BM range also had two Mercedes 8 V-cylinder engines with displacements of 14 and 17 thousand cc respectively, but, apart from greater fluidity and progression, they had the same torque and the same horses as the "smaller" Iveco OM. Like today, Astra assembled its chassis and suspensions, setting up its vehicles in those years, even with non-Italian engines.

HD, as we now know, represents the new series of trucks that will make their first entry into the Army from the 2002 but with the initials SM, SMR and SMH.

Characteristics of the SM

The frame for all the series is reinforced to withstand better pressures and twists and the whole structure is more squared recalling in a certain sense the old BM series, were it not for the new mottled liveries in use, which make it clear that it is of a new MS. In Italy it is required with a three-seater cabin, while for France there are four seats.

The engine is one of the novelties that takes the name of Cursor, the 6 cylinder engine with 24 valves that Iveco Professional has designed for buses, lorries and boats. The range ranges from displacements from 8,10 and 13 thousand cubic centimeters of displacement and turbocharger with a range of horses ranging from 360 up to 560.

Standard Military with addition of H or R, mean according to the NATO code, “Heavy” (heavy) and “Range” (gamma). This is probably how they stand out more quickly. To these letters then, other codes such as CAD or BAD can be added (... and with cad, "rascal", inventiveness ranges ...) but the meaning of the 4 numbers is interesting, two for the maximum range of the vehicle and two to identify the horsepower / power, a rule and custom common to all trucks, including civilian ones. So, for example, the SMR 88.45 turns out to be the heaviest and most powerful while the SM 44.31 could, due to its size and use, be considered the “more powerful and versatile” replacement of the ACM 80/90.

The 4, 6 and 8X8 vehicles are the most requested and widespread in the Defense sector and the comparison with the civil derivation is perhaps only for the dimensions, the engine and the number of axles that have motricity. In fact, optionally the civil series may not have all-wheel drive on all axles as it is present on those destined for the defense market.

The traction system

Drive power only when needed, and this thanks to differentials and torque dividers located on the axles of Astra SM vehicles. In the case of an 8X8, the torque dividers located on the 2nd and 3rd axis interact with the differentials of the 1st and 4th axis which receive the movement, in turn from the central distributor located at the output from the primary shaft of the exchange. So 2 differentials and 3 distributors, although it is often customary to say that there are 5 differentials in all on the 8x8 and 3 on the smaller SM 4x4 (in reality they are 2 differentials and a central distributor).

How it works

On the 8x8 taken as an example, the torque constantly arrives at the rear and front axle, but only the rear in the case of straight-line highway travel is "dominant"; in fact, as soon as even slight changes in adherence occur due to rubbing, slipping or lifting, the simple and ingenious mechanics drives the "front axle group". But you can do even more from the cabin; in fact, a handwheel switch can allow us to eliminate this fluid and autonomous dosage "on demand" by setting, with the first snap of the switch, a first simultaneous block of the two rear bridges that will result in a fixed grip and with the second click the analogous lock of the front axle pair. But it is not over, the conductor can operate as well as the reduced gears a command to block the two differentials mentioned which will automatically stop all the distributors. The concept is perhaps clearer if we think of similar systems adopted on the Alfa Q4, the VW Syncro or the new integral Panda.

The transmission more diffused it is the hydraulic ZF to 6 marches but the older ones can have the manual ZF to 12 or 16 marches, present instead on the whole past range, BM. Whether the automatic ZF or theAllison 7 gears (required for the Spanish military market) have the torque converter which can be excluded after the start, and by itself, this exclusion locking of the "hydraulic forces" already represents a higher gear. On the smallest ACTL 44.31 is mounted the ZF automatic to 5 gears, the same equipped on the buses. In all versions it is a single body with the ZF gearbox, the slow motion retarder which is associated with the engine brake.

The HD6, the only militarized civil version - but I do not believe in Italy - is equipped with the ZF AsTronic robotized transmission.

The tires, if provided they have the possibility of a system positioned in the cabin, for rapid deflation and inflation, but remember that the type is runflat.

The APS"Heavy Duty Truck" are very common in 6 conformation, and 8x8 and often used for loading and transporting shelter e Containers used for transmission or logistics assistance, health, bathrooms, offices, etc. Then there are those "tractor" that hook on the thrust on the chassis, heavy trailers such as those for tanks and those more logistic with crane, tank and cement mixer. For battalion use the two-axis, as you can imagine, is the most widespread.

The guide

Get carried away by modern "automatic" versions is anything but difficult - but I enjoy more with the manuals - but beware the 4 axis is long 9 meters and the use of mirrors is a must; from the top of the driver's seat, in addition to an excellent view, the sensation is that of strength, domination and perhaps this perception also contributes to the sound of the booming and pleasant engine, when the engine brake is activated, perhaps in the tunnel. The vehicle is however stable and its leaf springs with hydraulic cylinders keep it on the trajectory. However, be careful not to overbalance it too much in fast corners with an attached load. It overcomes slopes in the order of 60% and Fords of 1,20 - in reality you can dare beyond - and the start up can also take place at -32 ° C.

Training for the military qualified to use these technologies and vehicles is developed both in the barracks but also and above all in the Astra training centers of Piacenza and Bolzano. This interaction, which sees collaboration, comparison and closeness between military and civil realities.

The marshals tell ... already we must also report for consistency that to all this new technology (control units and electronics) it is no longer possible to provide with the careful and ingenious maintenance that with passion, precision and responsibility the workers have done for years in the military repair departments . This often involves a forced alienation

of a vehicle functioning to be used as a "spare parts warehouse". A reality far from isolated even in the bus sector where the budget cuts are felt at the expense of the service.

Curiosity

The Czechoslovak Tatra with its T813 8x8 is present in the trial trucks as well as being the military vehicle of reference for the Eastern forces, as well as Cat and GM are for the US Army, it has a mechanical and performance (it has an engine dating back to the 1940) obsolete compared to Iveco Astra.

Even the Piaggio and the Innocenti Lambretta in the post-war period covered the philosophy of recycling and recovery of war residues like the Astra.

Vehicles with 4 axles (8 wheels) have two power steering pumps driven by the engine; in case of breakdown and towing there is an auxiliary that feeds with the movement of the wheels.

The resin SM cabins have 3 placed here in Italy (conductor, capomacchina and assistant) but the French army requires four seats.

The Astra was born in Sardinia in the 1946, where the mechanical scrap of the second world war was stacked; it was necessary to set up a company to implement the project by engineer Bertuzzi. The company was called Anonymous Sardinian Transport and the first product model was a Dumper, a construction truck.

(photo: author / web)