Electric Shelter
The Army Integrated Logistics Support Center, Tank- Automotive and Armaments Command is soliciting feedback from all the services concerning the purchase of electrical equipment shelters.
by B.R. Melton
The Army Integrated Logistics Support Center, Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM-ILSC) is soliciting feedback from all the services concerning the purchase of the S-280 C/G electrical equipment shelter.
TACOM-ILSC is planning a data call to determine requirements for empty shelters and see how many shelter programs plan to purchase through fiscal year 2015.
“ILSC currently has one customer purchasing approximately 940 shelters over a five-year period, and this quantity will come close to maximum vendor capacity for that time period,” said Joe Kleinfeldt, logistics management specialist with TACOM-ILSC.
If this capacity is reached, a second vendor will be needed, he said, which makes this solicitation important. Knowing the possible demand will prevent over- or under-purchasing the shelters.
The S-280 C/G electrical equipment shelter is a lightweight, insulated, mobile tactical shelter that serves as a sanctuary for communications, radar, maintenance and electronic equipment, providing protection from the dust, heat and moisture associated with field operations.
The Army hasn’t procured the S-280 since 1996, but due to program needs, will release a solicitation for this shelter. The shelters can be purchased in radio frequency interference shielded or unshielded configurations that can be modified to fit the program or system needs. The shelters are presently being used as aviation and artillery repair shops, electronic equipment maintenance shops, and mobile communications centers.
The original S-280 B/G was reviewed under the Army Product Improvement Program. The shelter was redesigned and tested, and the result is an improved standard shelter. The S-280 shelter will be manufactured in an ISO 9001 certified facility, guaranteeing the highest quality workmanship and quality control, and is manufactured to meet the requirements of Military Standard MILS- 55286/E.
Constructed of foam-and-beam sandwich panels that consist of a polyurethane foam core, seamless aluminum skins, and a framework of aluminum alloy extrusions, the S-280’s structural strength lies in the “barrel hoop” transverse design of the floor and roof beams. The shelter corners are also reinforced to accommodate leveling jacks and withstand side loads imposed by high winds.
The S-280 is solid on the inside as well as the outside. The floor load is designed to accommodate the heavy interior traffic associated with high operational tempo. The floor can withstand 2,500 pounds over 3 sq. ft. area without permanent deformation.
The S-280 can be handled by any standard 2.5-ton truck, dependent on payload, but is normally transported by the larger 5-ton truck. It may also be transported by M720, M832 or M840 mobilizer sets, fixed-wing aircraft such as the C-130, helicopter, rail or ship. Other options include a combination lifting/tie-down sling to facilitate handling. ♦
