The need for rapid development and delivery of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) units, and climate-control systems for military use is well known. However, the geopolitical issues that are shaping the current global climate are ramping up the urgency of orders, with HVAC systems specialist, Booyco Engineering, recently having secured several local and international defence contracts.

“Yes, lead times are getting a lot shorter. Where we used to have a year or so to deliver, we are now being asked to produce a prototype in six months. Three of these months are dedicated to the design and development, and the other three to build and test the system, which is quick,” says Booyco Engineering executive director Grant Miller.

The instability in the world, especially owing to the actions of the US, which most recently flexed its military muscle in Venezuela, is driving growth in military expenditure, he notes.

The renewed focus on improving military capabilities was evident at last year’s biennial defence industry trade show Defence and Security Equipment International UK, in London, with a visible surge in attendees compared with when Booyco Engineering attended in September 2023, he highlights.

It is the company’s 45 years of experience that enables it to rapidly design systems and reduce turnaround times while delivering quality, military-approved systems that are in demand.

“We have made a name for ourselves, with many large military contractors recommending our systems to other industry players. We are now concentrating on the faster delivery of products to our clients,” elaborates Miller.

Standardised for Speed

Booyco Engineering uses existing, proven subsystems in its military designs to expedite orders.

“We know that to meet an electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) requirement or an electromagnetic interference (EMI) specification, we need to use this specific fan in conjunction with these particular components, ferrites and this power filter,” illustrates Miller.

This knowledge eliminates the need to undergo unnecessary testing, enabling the rapid development of HVAC units for military vehicles, for example, that comply with stringent EMC/EMI and  shock and vibration requirements, rather than ”starting from scratch”, he explains.

Nonetheless, once finalised and delivered to the customer, such systems will still undergo significant testing to verify that they function correctly and are compatible with the other systems installed on the vehicle.

Booyco Engineering is also in the process of developing a standardised military shelter system as an alternative to its custom-built units to expedite the design process.

“We are investing a lot of money into the development of this standard military shelter system, in addition to the funds we have already dedicated to producing more standard products for military vehicles,” says Miller.

Ample Applications

Booyco Engineering’s climate-control solutions are deployed in applications ranging from military vehicles to radar shelters. Currently, demand for the company’s products is mostly from the EU and south-east Asia.

Both regions are investing in climate-control solutions for mobile container-based radar shelters and command posts, as well as for military vehicles, such as battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles.

The capabilities of HVAC systems operating in military environments need to extend beyond their air-conditioning abilities.

“Our clients expect an air conditioner to provide cooling, that's a given. But what they are really paying for are the additional capabilities such as shock, vibration, heat and dust resistance – the robustness of the unit, as well as EMC/EMI compatibility. The design of systems for military vehicles is significantly more complex than what you would expect for a standard vehicle application.”

The systems produced by Booyco Engineering comply with STANAG 4370, a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato) standardisation agreement that standardises environmental testing for military equipment. The company also complies with MIL-STD-810G: Environmental Engineering, a US military standard for testing equipment’s performance and durability in extreme environmental conditions to ensure reliability in harsh settings, as well as MIL-STD-461G, which stipulates the requirements for the control of EMC/EMI characteristics of subsystems and equipment.

“The system’s ability to prevent EMI is critical. That’s a considerable aspect as electronic interference can impact on radio signal ranges and detection, as well as weapons and other critical systems’ functionality,” explains Miller.

He adds that Booyco Engineering’s solutions also comply with the requirements of Nato standard STANAG 4634 for the collective protection against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) warfare .

In such instances, Booyco Engineering’s HVAC systems can be integrated with systems that filter out these harmful elements and are also supplied with special protective coatings and compliant materials, such as those which can withstand the corrosive agents used to decontaminate surfaces exposed to tear gas, for example.

Optimal Operation

To ensure that existing systems continue to perform as required, Booyco Engineering also provides integrated logistics support to ensure effective maintenance of systems throughout their lifecycle.

In addition to maintenance manuals, Booyco Engineering has a maintenance agent in south-east Asia and is in the process of establishing support in Europe. The company either travels to train these individuals to maintain its systems or they travel to South Africa for training. However, generally, for safety and security reasons, militaries send their own technicians for training as they need to conduct maintenance in active military theatres.