America’s Patriot air defense systems may soon be kept online faster and cheaper, thanks to US Army engineers at Tobyhanna Army Depot (TYAD).
To make that happen, a multidisciplinary team at TYAD reconstructed the cable connectors for the system’s Electric Power Plant III, a critical generator.
Previously, connectors were sourced internationally at $20,000 each and took more than a year to arrive, delaying readiness of the $1-million weapon system they support.
By re-engineering the cables, the depot’s civilian workforce successfully produced two prototypes and secured funding for 27 more.
They also produced full models, drawings, and a technical data package for the army’s Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM).
Pushing the Boundaries
The effort aligns with Pentagon goals to equip warfighters faster, cheaper, and through organic capabilities.
Chase Gardner, chief of the Design, Development, and Fabrication Division at TYAD, said the depot had been developing in-house cable connector expertise and was eager to expand it.
Field engineer Matthew Check added that projects like this showcase the full skill set of army engineers.
“I think a mission like this shows that we could reverse engineer, re-engineer, and fabricate complex cables like this as well as machine connectors and housings that others may not have the ability to do,” he added.
“This is Tobyhanna’s first step in demonstrating that capability and a good use case for the community as to why an organic source makes sense.”
