Central Tire Inflation Systems (CTIS) - A Means to Enhance Vehicle Mobility

Since there are numerous ways of increasing a wheeled vehicles overall mobility and effectiveness it then becomes a choice of which mobility features to incorporate into a vehicle design and how effective each of these features are from a performance and a cost effectiveness standpoint. One of the most effective and well proven systems that has been adapted to wheeled tactical vehicles to improve the overall vehicle mobility is CTIS. In general these systems, feature relatively simple designs, are a highly effective and convenient method of enhancing vehicle mobility and are relatively simple to operate. A CTIS can be defined as, A system incorporated in a wheeled vehicle which permits the vehicle tire pressures to be regulated by the vehicle drivercrew member from within the vehicle cab while on the move. If the vehicle tires are deflated from 50 psi to 15 psi the tire footprints will increase substantially. Whenever the area of the footprint is increased the ground pressure which that vehicle experiences is reduced. Assuming that the soil strength conditions are identical, the tractive effort and overall mobility for a vehicle will increase at the lower pressure level, hence allowing this vehicle to accomplish a high level of mobility performance.