SAPA plays a prominent role at the AUSA 2018 trade fair.

SAPA had a prominent presence at the recent AUSA (Association of the United States Army) 2018 trade show, which took place from October 8th to 10th at the Walter Convention Center in Washington.

At its booth, SAPA Transmission Inc., part of the SAPA Group, showcased several important new products, starting with the ACT 850 tracked transmission, an evolution of the SG850 used in the Pizarro Phase II infantry and cavalry fighting vehicles. This transmission is currently undergoing testing at BAE Systems’ Sterling Heights, Michigan facility, and is installed in a Bradley infantry and cavalry fighting vehicle and an M109 A7 Paladin self-propelled howitzer, both belonging to the U.S. Army. Once these tests are completed, further testing will take place at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland. TACOM (Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command) has already acquired six units.

Another new development was the ACT 1000 track-type transmission, which is being evaluated as part of the development program for TARDEC (Tank Automotive Research Development & Engineering Center) under the Advanced Powertrain Demonstrator (APD) program. This transmission is designed to work with a 1,000 hp engine mounted on a 50-ton vehicle.

The company also demonstrated two well-known components in the Army’s 8×8 Wheeled Combat Vehicle (WCV) Powertrain, the SW624 wheeled vehicle transmission and the 75 kW electric motor. These systems have been analyzed onboard the WCV on several occasions.

Institutional Visits

SAPA is involved in several research programs within the US Army, focused on the area of ​​next-generation transmissions, which are being evaluated for adoption in new combat vehicles. As a result, the company received important visitors during the event, including Four-Star General McConville, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army; Lieutenant General Richardson, Deputy Chief of Army Futures Command (the organization responsible for Army modernization projects, which includes future-generation vehicles); Dr. Bruce Jette, the top official at the Department of Army Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology, who was also present at the event. Jeffrey White, the deputy chief of the department; Lieutenant General Ostrowsky, the deputy chief and military officer; and Anne Cataldo, head of international relations and cooperation. Also visiting the stand were Brigadier General Cummings, head of land programs; Colonel Fuller, head of armored combat vehicle programs (Bradley, Paladin, and Next-Generation Bradley); Colonel Milner, head of the AMPV (Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicles) program; and Dr. Rogers, Director of TARDEC.

On behalf of Spain, the Defense Attaché in Washington, General Armisen, and Colonel Martínez Mompeán, financial attaché and from the General Directorate of Armament and Material (DGAM), attended, along with representatives from the Navy and Air Force. Also present on behalf of the Commercial Attaché Office were Elisa García Grande, responsible for Spain’s economic and commercial representation in the United States and international financial institutions; Christian Garma, economic and commercial counselor; Ángeles Bosch, from the Subdirectorate General of Tariff Policy and Trade Defense Instruments; and Ana Domínguez Velasco, commercial attaché.