Cooper Tire and Resilient Technologies have established a joint development agreement to produce a new non-pneumatic prototype military tire for use under hostile battlefield conditions.

The non-pneumatic tire, known as an NPT, has been under development at Resilient for more than two years because of the growing number of military vehicles and personnel being stranded in Iraq and elsewhere due to flat tires caused by gunfire or shrapnel.

The airless tire abandons the traditional tire and rim design for a structure comprised of a unique rim, honeycomb and tread package, thereby eliminating the need for the cavity that typically retains air for a traditional tire. The honeycomb design allows bullets and shrapnel to move through the tire without disabling it. The NPT will continue to roll even if a substantial portion of the honeycomb cells have been compromised.

In its current design, the NPT is lighter than a traditional Humvee run-flat tire, it does not require as much oil to manufacture and it is fully retreadable. After additional testing, Cooper and Resilient will deliver prototypes to the U.S. Army.

The honeycomb design of this prototype non-pneumatic tire (NPT) allows bullets and shrapnel to move through the tire without disabling it, allowing the tire to keep rolling even if a substantial portion of the honeycombs have been damaged.

Cooper brings design, manufacturing, testing and performance expertise to the project, according to Chuck Yurkovich, the company’s vice president of global technology. These attributes, coupled with Resilient’s experience with advanced polymer products, “pave the way for a revolutionary new product for the military. The NPT provides better mobility, range, functionality and reliability and requires less maintenance than a standard military HMMWV (Humvee) run-flat tire,” he contends.

“The initial field tests, at speeds up to 55 mph, have reinforced that we’re on the right path regarding the tire’s structure and composition,” says Yurkovich.

Under the development agreement, Cooper and Resilient s will introduce the NPT technology to commercial markets. “The strategy is to investigate how pieces of this technology could apply to advances on other vehicle platforms,” says Yurkovich. “There are a lot of potential consumer benefits with a non-pneumatic tire and we’re looking forward to assessing the practicality of implementation in our markets.”

Testing on the prototype non-pneumatic tire (NPT) remains ongoing.

“Cooper Tire’s expertise in tire manufacturing, testing and innovation uniquely complement Resilient’s expertise in polymer-based engineering,” says Edward Hall, vice president of business affairs and general counsel at Resilient. “We are pleased to work with Cooper Tire in our efforts to safeguard those who protect our freedoms.”

“We value the opportunity to work with Resilient Technologies on a project that directly helps save the lives of U.S. military personnel,” Yurkovich concurs.

For more information, visit www.coopertire.com and www.resilienttech.com.