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Subject: Why not more use of PLS?
Jeff_F_F    1/31/2007 11:48:39 AM
I have been consistently suprised to see little mention of the M1077 PLS (Palletized Loading System) truck, since I was very impressed by its usefullness as a cargo handling system. After doing some research I've learned that it is only(?) used by field artillery units, which would explain my exposure to it. Having also dealt with cargo on a HEMTT truck, I'm suprised the PLS isn't used more. I'm sure with its greater mechanical complexity it is bound to be more expensive, but the greater speed of logistics handling would seem to make it a winner. I remember a show on the history channel about the difference in man-hours needed to handle cargo on ships before and after the introduction of containerized cargo.It seems like a job that used to take 2000 man-hours now takes 1 man-hour. It seems that the same principle would apply here, though it wouldn't be quite that dramatic, since the paletized loads are smaller. if you aren't familiar with it, check out: I've seen a lot of similar civilian vehicls, usually for handling bulk items like garbage and such and these are usually quite a bit smaller, so a PLS type vehicle could also be used with lighter vehicles such as 5 ton trucks using off the shelf technology--in fact just military versions of the civilian trucks but picking up a flat-rack instead of a dumpster. I'm thinking if the systems were designed correctly, 5-ton pallets could be sized so that 2 or three would fit on a PLS flat rack. An M1077 could drop a flatrack with with sub loads packed on 5-ton flat racks. Then 5-ton PLS trucks could pick up the smaller flatracks for distribution. Another idea I had was that you could even build fueling tanks with pumps on a PLS flatrack, allowing a PLS to take the role of a fueler, or offload the flatrack and create a stationary fueling point, while the PLS moves on to other jobs then picks up the empty fuel tank later.
 
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doggtag    Here you go   1/31/2007 12:28:27 PM
 
And courtesy of the Washington Army Natl Guard, complete with your fuel module (scroll about 2/3-3/4 down):
http://www.washingtonarmyguard.com/IMAGES/PLS/PLS_FUEL.JPG" width=300 border=0> 
 
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Jeff_F_F       1/31/2007 4:07:33 PM
thanks for the link.
 
Btw, I got the nomenclature wrong it's M1075, the M1077 is the flat rack... I've just always called it a PLS.
 
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Jeff_F_F       1/31/2007 4:23:19 PM
I also noted after I posted, that in the pictures on the article I linked to that although it isn't mentioned there is a 3 PLS truck, which looks a lot like the civilian vehicles I've seen, probably Oshkosh selling civilian versions too.
 
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BadNews    Several Versions    2/4/2007 10:21:32 PM
FUEL VERSION
Engineeer Variants
 
 
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