‘Driver, How Much Fuel Do We Have?’ – An Update

In the September-October 1996 issue of ARMOR, then-SSG Steve Krivitsky1 published a simplified way to deter mine how many gallons of fuel re mained in an M1A1 based on each fu el-cell level (left front, right front and rear). With the M1 family of vehicles almost completely converted to a “pure-fleet” M1A2 and its smaller-capacity fuel cell, Krivitsky’s article needs updating based upon the current M1A2 tank fleet. While Krivitsky’s article focused exclu sively on the M1A1 tank, this update also includes the other armored bri gade combat team (ABCT) primary ve hicles: the M2A3 Bradley, M1 Assault Breacher Vehicle (ABV), M9 Armored Combat Earthmover (ACE), M109A6 Paladin and M992 Field Artillery Am munition Supply Vehicle (FAASV). This update provides an easy method for in dividual vehicle commanders to report on-hand fuel, and then for others at battalion and BCT level to accurately forecast how much fuel is required to top off their units. Fuel is forecast, ordered and distributed by gallons, not by color status (black/red/amber/green). If a company executive officer reports Company B is amber on Class III, that can mean any where from 60 percent to 80 percent on hand. If the unit is closer to 60 per cent on hand, B Company might not get enough fuel for the next mission; or, if closer to the 80 percent mark, the company may receive too much fuel. Accurate fuel projections are needed to ensure that neither time nor fuel is wasted, and this update provides a method to ensure accuracy. To read the chart for the M1A2 (Figure 1), the tank commander asks the driv er to read the fuel levels in each of the fuel cells and then cross-references the levels to get the total number of gal lons. For example, right front is half-full, left front is ¾ full, rear is half-full, so that equals 250 remaining gal lons. The reading is similar for the ABV chart (Figure 2). (The ABV is built on an M1A1 chassis.) For the M2 Bradley (Figure 3), the lev el line slowly drops as fuel is expended and stays in the green area until it reaches 1/8 remaining, or 23 gallons. As the level drops, the brigade commander can then report the amount of fuel remaining, and his executive offi cer can plan accordingly. The M9 ACE fuel gauge reads much like a car, and the corresponding gallons are listed in Figure 3. The Paladin (Figure 4) and FAASV (Figure 5) are similarly listed. Again, the objective is to transmit the correct on-hand amount of fuel, by platoon, to the company executive officer or command post. With this information, a company roll-up amount of fuel on hand can be sent through appropriate channels to the brigade sup port battalion’s (BSB) support opera tions officer. The BSB will then Right front Left front Rear Rear ¼ Rear ½ Rear ¾ Rear full Empty Empty 0 47 95 142 189 ¼ 27 74 122 169 216 ½ 54 101 149 196 243 ¾ 80 127 175 222 269 Full 107 154 202 249 296 ¼ Empty 38 85 133 180 227 ¼ 65 112 160 207 254 ½ 92 139 187 234 281 ¾ 118 165 213 260 307 Full 145 192 240 287 334 ½ Empty 75 122 170 217 264 ¼ 102 149 197 244 291 ½ 129 176 224 271 318 ¾ 155 202 250 297 344 Full 182 229 277 324 371 ¾ Empty 112 159 207 254 301 ¼ 139 186 234 281 328 ½ 166 213 261 308 355 ¾ 192 239 287 334 381 Full 219 266 314 361 408 Full Empty 150 197 245 292 339 ¼ 177 224 272 319 366 ½

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251 299 346 393 ¾ 230 277 325 372 419 Full 257 304 352 399 446 0 47 95 142 189 Figure 1. M1A2 fuel remaining, in gallons.

determine how much fuel is required and how it will be transported to the maneuver and supported battalions. Figure 2. ABV (M1A1 chassis) in gallons. Right front Left front Rear Rear ¼ Rear ½ Rear ¾ Rear full Empty Empty 0 62 124 186 248 ¼ 27 89 151 213 275 ½ 54 116 178 240 302 ¾ 80 142 204 266 328 Full 107 169 231 293 355 ¼ Empty 38 100 162 224 286 ¼ 65 127 189 251 313 ½ 92 154 216 278 340 ¾ 118 180 242 304 366 Full 145 207 269 331 393 ½ Empty 75 137 199 261 323 ¼ 102 164 226 288 350 ½ 129 191 253 315 377 ¾ 155 217 279 341 403 Full 182 244 306 368 430 ¾ Empty 113 175 237 299 361 ¼ 140 202 264 326 388 ½ 167 229 291 353 415 ¾ 193 255 317 379 441 Full 220 282 344 406 468 Full Empty 150 212 274 336 398 ¼ 177 239 301 363 425 ½ 204 266 328 390 452 ¾ 230 292 354 416 478 Full 257 319 381 443 505 Bradley - in gallons M9 ACE - in gallons Full 175 Full 143 7/8 126 7/8 154 ¾ 132 ¾ 107 5/8 110 5/8 90 ½ 88 ½ 72 3/8 67 3/8 54 ¼ 44 ¼ 36 1/8-Low 23 1/8 19 Empty 0 Empty 0 Figure 3. M2 Bradley and M9 ACE. LTC Will Kepley is Systems Branch chief for Training and Doctrine Command’s Capability Manager-ABCT, Capabilities Development and I n t e g r a t i o n Directorate (CDID), located at the Maneuver Center of Excellence (MCoE), Fort Benning, GA. His p r e v i o u s assignments have included Concepts Development Branch chief, CDID, MCoE; logistics adviser, 3/3 Infantry Division, Forward Operating Base Echo, Iraq; squadron executive officer, 2/11 Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Irwin, CA; and operations officer, U. S. Army Forces, U. S. Central Command-Qatar, Camp As Saliyah, Qatar. LTC Kepley’s military schooling includes the Armor Officer Basic and Armor Officer Advanced Courses, Fort Knox, KY; Combined Arms Services Staff School and Intermediate Level Education, Fort Leavenworth, KS; and Airborne School, Fort Benning. LTC Kepley holds a bachelor’s of arts degree in mathematics from the University of Louisville. After 21 years of service, LTC Kepley will transition out of the Army Feb. 1, 2015. Notes 1 Krivitsky is now branch chief, weapons and gunnery doctrine, MCoE, Fort Ben ning. Paladin fuel in gallons Full 157 88% 138 75% 118 63% 99 50% 79 38% 60 25% 39 13% 1/8 20 Empty 0 Figure 4. M109A6 Paladin fuel status in gal lons. M992A3 fuel in gallons Full 157 88% 7/8 138 75% 3/4 118 63% 5/8 99 50% 1/2 79 38% 3/8 60 25% 1/4 39 13% 1/8 20 Empty 0 Figure 5. M992A3 FAASV fuel status in gal lons.