The Shadow RST-V. Ah, there we go again with the unfamiliar acronyms. RST-V is the acronym for Reconnaissance, Surveillance & Targeting Vehicle. Basically, its a scouting vehicle loaded up with laser designators, electronic sensors, and radio equipment. However, the Shadow is far more than that.
The Shadow is the first wheeled hybrid electric drive military vehicle the U.S. has fielded in a combat zone. That's right, it's powered by electricity, much like a Toyota Prius. However, the Shadow is a vast improvement over the current civilian technology. Outfitted with a 150 hp diesel engine powering a 100 kW generator which in turns drives four 50kW hub motors, the Shadow is an incredibly capable offroad vehicle compared to the world's current "best", the Humvee. How much better is it? Back in the 1980's, the Humvee set the Yuma Proving Ground's Rock Ledge Course record by completing the track in 32 minutes. That record stood for 20 years, challenged by virtually every piece of military equipment fielded by friendly nations. The Shadow smashed it in 2004 by completing the course in just over 13 minutes.
The RST-V was designed initially from a need for a light combat vehicle capable of fitting inside the cargo bay of the V-22 Osprey. As the vehicle evolved, it rapidly showed ever greater capability. It provides the same internal cargo space and payload capacity as the Humvee, yet consumes only 55% as much fuel, making it a potential replacement for the Humvee. It can drive 23 miles on only the charge in its batteries, making it almost completely stealthy. Its internal power system can provide 7 kW of power to onboard electronics and sensors, while exporting as much as 60kW of power to external use in such equipment as radar systems, making it a potential replacement for thousands of inferior trailer mounted generators already in military service. You can even blow out three of the hub motors and it will still continue moving.
Included in this product are our new Vehicle Record Sheets, a new addition to the series for your gaming convenience. Version 1.0 Record Sheets are provided for both the unarmored and armored versions of the base vehicle. Also included is a link to the Navy's promotional video for the RST-V, demonstrating numerous direct competition tests between the RST-V and a stripped down HMMWV. The RST-V won in every instance. |
