Defence

Ricardo has been actively involved in defence systems engineering since its pioneering work in the creation of the first battle tanks used by the British Army in WWI. The challenges faced by today’s armed forces place new and ever increasing demands on equipment, requiring innovative engineering and advanced manufacturing solutions. Ricardo is able to deliver cost-effective, high quality defence vehicles offering exceptional standards of operational flexibility, agility, performance and fuel economy, as well as low noise and exhaust emissions.

Ricardo combines advanced automotive technology and innovation with a rich heritage of providing truly exceptional and game-changing defence vehicles:

• Complete vehicle programme leadership, delivery and support – from radically new vehicle concepts through to in-service upgrades of existing fleets for emerging operational requirements
• Requirements trading and validation
• Optimized user comfort, safety and survivability
• Through-life planning and support
• Optimizing fuel economy and minimizing noise and exhaust emissions
• Complete driveline solutions optimized for defence
• Simulation and modelling of designs against the most adverse operational environments
• Access to a comprehensive range of commercial automotive platforms and technologies coupled with the ability to innovate defence-specific solutions
• Test and acceptance planning and support

Key benefits of the Ricardo service:

• Ricardo as a fully independent, impartial and objective partner
• Access to the breadth and depth of Ricardo automotive engineering capabilities and processes
• Experience from a wide range of other market sectors including clean energy, motorsport, agricultural, marine propulsion and passenger cars from which technologies may be adapted
• Access to complex systems engineering processes offering a structured approach
• Right-first-time approach avoiding schedule slip and/or costly re-engineering
• Solutions that meet the most demanding legislative and operational requirements