Armored Vehicle Fire Suppression Systems Market - Growth, Trends, Covid-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2023 - 2028)

Armored Vehicle Fire Suppression Systems Market - Growth, Trends, Covid-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2023 - 2028)

The Armored Vehicle Fire Suppression Systems Market is forecasted to grow at a CAGR of over 4% during the forecast period (2022 - 2027).

Despite the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy, the market for armored fighting vehicles remained unaffected, as the procurement projects were on track and the sales and revenues of armored vehicles increased steadily for the OEMs. The global military expenditure increased up to USD 2.1 trillion by the end of 2021, indicating the high potential for system procurements and upgrades across the defense industry in various countries in the world.

The escalating geopolitical rift in regions such as Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East has been generating demand for new armored vehicles to enhance the current capabilities of the ground forces. This, in turn, has created a parallel demand for fire suppression systems to mitigate the damage and threat to both passengers and critical systems. However, the high R&D costs associated with the systems and the fast pace of evolution of new weaponry such as high explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warheads lower the effective service life and efficacy of such systems, rendering them incapable of providing optimal protection.

The crew compartment in armored combat vehicles such as infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) provides limited space for the body movement of troops. This escalates a hazardous situation wherein the occupants may be subjected to lethal fire burn or suffocation due to smoke inhalation. Most current fire suppression systems are solid-based. However, the recent advancements in technology, such as the introduction of gas-based suppression agents that are less corrosive and have high oxygen deprivation capability, have driven the adoption of gas-based armored vehicle fire suppression systems. Most countries have undertaken armored vehicle procurement or upgrade plans to modernize and enhance their military prowess. United States sped up the Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) vehicles deal in March 2022. As part of this, two prototypes were developed with features including the latest version of the fire control system found in Abrams main battle tank. Even smaller countries based in third-world regions are also inducting new armored vehicles into active service. For instance, in October 2021, the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) commissioned the locally manufactured Chui IFV into active service. The Chui variant is being built in Uganda under a technology transfer agreement to further contribute to the growth of the country’s defense industry. The different variants of the Chui include a mortar platform, recoilless gun platform, and battlefield ambulance. The various configurations necessitate the installation of a multi-faceted fire suppression system based on the type of situations the platform is expected to operate in. Thus, with the demand for armored vehicles on the rise, the subsequent requirement for fire suppression systems/components for both line-fit and retrofit operations is also anticipated to increase during the forecast period.

North American countries, especially the US and Canada, are amongst the top military spenders globally. The US has actively deployed its troops in conflict-affected regions such as the Middle East, wherein large-scale use of rocket-propelled explosive projectiles and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) pose a major threat to the safety of armored vehicles and troops inside them. This factor has significantly propelled the market development of safety measures such as fire suppression and extinguishing systems for Main Battle Tanks (MBTs), Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs), IFVs, etc. Moreover, the increasing use of sophisticated sensor systems to detect a fire outbreak has also enhanced the complexity of the system, which in turn, has driven the cost of such systems. Modern fire suppression systems, such as those produced by Ares, can detect a fire in less than three milliseconds and suppress it within 250 milliseconds. Army collaboration with research institutes has driven the development of better fire suppression systems by upgrading the existing old school systems. For instance, in March 2021, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) developed a new interactive tool to help United States Army to fight the fire effectively using the right amount of pressure parameters to extinguish the fire. New armored vehicle programs such as the Next-Generation Combat Vehicle (NGCV) are envisioned to drive the demand for fire suppression systems market in the region during the forecast period.

Some of the prominent players in the market are N2 Towers Inc., Spectrex Inc., Fire Protection Technologies, Kidde-Deugra Brandschutzsysteme GmbH, and Halma plc, among others. The stringent safety and regulatory policies in the defense segment are expected to restrict the entry of new players. Furthermore, since a contract for armored vehicles requires high technological expertise and spans several years, careful identification and continuous monitoring of associative risks are required to be undertaken to assess their effects on the operational parameters of the manufacturing company. The assessment includes consideration for technical requirements, the listing of scheduled and associated tasks, and detailed cost analysis. Moreover, since the associated risks regarding the technical aspects, scheduling of activities and costs are subjected to change based on macroeconomic factors and subsequently influence the associative profits of the associated parties in a contract.

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