Booyco Engineering has moved into full production of its third generation heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system for a customer’s latest 8x8 amphibious infantry vehicles.

This latest HVAC solution is the result of the company’s intensive research and development, aimed at addressing both environmental extremes and the stringent operational requirements of military applications. Grant Miller, Executive Director of Booyco Engineering, highlights the increasing complexity of thermal management in defence vehicles.

“We didn’t approach this HVAC development as a simple upgrade,” Miller explains. “This is a ground-up third-generation design that incorporates lessons learned from previous deployments as well as new performance requirements driven by modern vehicle architectures and mission profiles.”

The development process was characterised by extensive modelling, simulation and field validation. Rather than focusing solely on cooling capacity, the Booyco Engineering team adopted a systems-level approach, considering airflow dynamics, thermal loads from onboard electronics and crew comfort.

“One of the key innovations is how we manage thermal loads under highly variable conditions,” he says. “The system has to perform consistently, whether the vehicle is operating in extreme heat or cold; this requires a very precise balance between capacity, responsiveness and energy efficiency.”

The result is a more compact energy efficient unit that delivers improved performance without imposing excessive load on the vehicle’s power systems. This is an increasingly important consideration as modern infantry vehicles incorporate more electronic subsystems. Designing an HVAC system capable of operating reliably between minus 10°C and plus 49°C presents significant engineering challenges, including material selection and component durability.

Booyco Engineering’s in-house capabilities and experience have been central to addressing these challenges. The company leverages integrated design, prototyping and testing functions to validate performance under simulated environmental conditions before systems enter production.

“Leveraging our previous experience together with extensive in-house testing allows our team to test and refine designs internally, ensuring systems are pushed to their limits and ensure they meet military-grade requirements before they ever reach the field,” Miller says.

This vertical integration also enables rapid iteration during development, reducing the risk of performance issues emerging later in the production cycle. Now, as the company conducts full-scale manufacturing of the new-generation HVAC systems, it applies rigorous quality control processes to ensure consistency and compliance.

“The defence sector demands a very disciplined approach to manufacturing,” Miller says. “We have structured processes in place for assembly, inspection and testing at every stage.”

Each unit undergoes comprehensive assessment to verify performance against specification including pressure testing, thermal performance validation and functional checks. Traceability is also a key requirement with detailed records maintained for all components and processes.

“Traceability and repeatability are fundamental,” he notes. “We need to be able to demonstrate that every unit meets the same high standard, not just in terms of performance but also in terms of compliance with stringent specifications.”

Beyond the immediate contract, the project reflects Booyco Engineering’s broader strengths across research and development, engineering design, manufacturing and quality assurance.

“This programme is a good example of what we’re capable of as an organisation,” Miller says. “It brings together our design expertise, our testing capabilities and our ability to manufacture complex systems to very high standards.”

It also positions Booyco Engineering as a credible partner for future military vehicle programmes, where thermal management is becoming increasingly critical as platforms grow more sophisticated.

“Modern military vehicles are carrying more electronics, more systems and operating in more demanding environments,” he concludes. “This places greater emphasis on HVAC performance, both for comfort and for system reliability and mission effectiveness.”