Ground vehicle electronics operate in one of the most demanding and unforgiving environments in defence. Constant mechanical vibration from powertrain and terrain, extreme temperature swings between deployment theatres, the electrical noise of a 28VDC vehicle power bus, and in some platforms the additional requirement to remain electronically invisible: the manufacturing requirements for vehicle-mounted electronics are specific, exacting, and non-negotiable.
At Arkle Electronic Systems, we manufacture electronics for defence ground vehicle and armoured platform programmes. From ruggedised PCB assembly and vehicle-grade box build through to cable harness and conformal coating, our processes are built around the standards and environmental realities of ground vehicle deployment. With over 50 years of electronics manufacturing experience across defence, aerospace, and other safety-critical sectors, we bring the quality, traceability, and technical understanding that vehicle platform programmes require.
A Growing Area of UK Defence Investment
UK ground vehicle modernisation is one of the most active areas of current defence procurement. Armoured vehicle upgrade programmes, new platform acquisitions, and the growing use of unmanned ground vehicles across reconnaissance, logistics, and force protection roles are all creating demand for capable electronics manufacturers in the supply chain.
Mid-life upgrade programmes present a particular opportunity for the electronics supply chain. Obsolescence removal, updated electronic architectures, and integration of modern command and control systems into platforms that may remain in service for decades all require manufacturing partners with the right certifications, standards knowledge, and long-term supply chain capability. Arkle works with OEMs and systems integrators at both new-build and upgrade programme stages.
The Technical Challenge: What Vehicle-Mounted Electronics Must Withstand
The environment inside and on a defence ground vehicle is unlike almost any other electronics application. It combines mechanical, electrical, thermal, and environmental stressors that occur simultaneously and persist across the full operating life of the platform. Electronics that are not manufactured specifically for this environment will not survive it.
Shock and Vibration from Terrain and Powertrain
Military ground vehicles operate across terrain that generates continuous broadband vibration and repeated mechanical shock events. Cross-country driving over rough ground, kerb strikes, and the harmonic frequencies generated by diesel powertrains and suspension systems all subject vehicle-mounted electronics to sustained mechanical loading that would rapidly fatigue poorly assembled boards.
The relevant qualification standard for ground vehicle vibration is DEF STAN 00-35 Part 3 for UK MoD programmes, with MIL-STD-810H Methods 514 and 516 governing vibration and shock respectively for US and NATO-aligned requirements. Tracked vehicle vibration profiles differ significantly from wheeled vehicle profiles and are separately addressed within these standards. Assembly-level responses include epoxy underfill beneath BGA and QFN components, reinforced connector mounting, conformal coating to stabilise assemblies against micro-vibration, and solder joint quality processes that produce the fillet geometry required for fatigue resistance under IPC-A-610 Class 3.
Extreme Temperatures: Arctic Operations to Desert Deployments
British Army and allied ground forces operate across the full range of global environments. Electronics aboard vehicles deployed to Arctic training areas in Norway or to operations in the Falklands must function reliably at minus 46 degrees Celsius. The same platform families may be deployed to the Gulf, North Africa, or Middle Eastern theatres where ambient temperatures exceed 55 degrees Celsius and direct solar heating of vehicle hulls pushes internal temperatures significantly higher.
This wide thermal range demands substrate and coating material selection that maintains performance across the full operating envelope. High-Tg FR-4 and polyimide substrates are specified for their stability across temperature extremes. Silicone conformal coatings retain flexibility down to minus 65 degrees Celsius where acrylic coatings can embrittle and crack. Solder alloy selection affects joint behaviour at both temperature extremes, and thermal via design must account for the heat generated by vehicle power electronics in a confined, often poorly ventilated installation. MIL-STD-810H Methods 501, 502, and 503 cover high temperature, low temperature, and temperature shock qualification respectively.
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Sand, Dust, and Degraded Environments
Vehicle-mounted electronics in arid theatres face constant particulate ingress risk. Fine sand and dust particles driven by vehicle movement and rotor wash compromise connectors, degrade seals, and can bridge conductive traces on unprotected assemblies. The consequences in a vehicle that may be operating hundreds of kilometres from support infrastructure are severe.
Conformal coating is the primary PCB-level protection against particulate ingress, complemented by appropriate IP-rated enclosures for box build assemblies. MIL-STD-810H Method 510 governs sand and dust qualification, covering both fine dust and blowing sand conditions. Connector selection and sealing compound choices at the box build stage are equally important: MIL-spec connectors with positive locking and environmental sealing are standard for vehicle-mounted installations where maintenance access is limited.
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Mud, Water Ingress, and Fording Operations
Ground vehicles are expected to ford water obstacles and operate in wet, muddy conditions that would destroy electronics without appropriate protection. Water and mud ingress into vehicle hull penetrations, connector interfaces, and equipment mounting points is an ongoing operational reality rather than an edge case.
Box build assemblies for vehicle-mounted electronics are typically specified to IP67 or IP68 for water and dust ingress protection, with gasket and sealing compound selection matched to the specific installation environment. MIL-DTL-38999 connectors, specified across most UK and NATO ground vehicle programmes, provide the sealed interface required for reliable performance in these conditions. MIL-STD-810H Method 512 governs immersion testing.
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The Vehicle Power Bus: Managing MIL-STD-1275 Electrical Conditions
The electrical environment on a military ground vehicle is significantly more hostile than a standard 24VDC or 28VDC supply might suggest. Military ground vehicle electrical systems are governed by MIL-STD-1275, which defines the voltage characteristics of 28VDC electrical systems including nominal operating voltage, voltage spike and surge profiles, and load dump transients.
When high-current loads such as starter motors, turrets, or hydraulic systems switch on and off, the resulting transients on the vehicle bus can reach voltages well in excess of normal operating levels for brief periods. Electronics that are not designed and manufactured with this in mind will fail under normal operational use. Assembly-level considerations include transient voltage suppression device selection and placement, PCB layout discipline around power entry points, and thorough documentation of power conditioning approaches in build records.
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Electromagnetic Compatibility in Dense Electronic Environments
Modern armoured vehicles carry a dense array of electronic systems: radio communications, navigation, threat detection, fire control, battlefield management systems, and increasingly autonomous sensor suites. These systems must coexist without interfering with one another, and must also be resistant to external electromagnetic threats including jamming and directed energy.
EMC compliance for UK ground vehicle programmes is governed by DEF STAN 59-411 Land Class A, with MIL-STD-461 applicable for programmes with US or NATO contractual requirements. The standard controls both emissions from the electronics under test and its susceptibility to external electromagnetic energy. Building to these standards requires PCB layout discipline, shielding integrity at the box build stage, and careful cable routing and harness design to prevent unintended antenna effects.
Covert and Special Forces Platforms: Low Electromagnetic Signature
A distinct subset of ground vehicle electronics carries requirements that go beyond standard EMC compliance. Platforms operated by special forces, intelligence assets, and covert reconnaissance elements must not only avoid electromagnetic interference with their own systems: they must minimise their electromagnetic signature to avoid detection by adversary electronic support measures and signals intelligence collection.
This requirement, governed by TEMPEST standards and supported by DEF STAN 59-411, drives specific manufacturing choices: Faraday shielding in enclosures, EMI-filtered power entry to suppress conducted emissions, spread-spectrum oscillator techniques, and fully shielded cable harnesses. The assembly processes that achieve genuine low-observable electromagnetic performance are not the same as those that achieve standard EMC compliance, and the manufacturing documentation required to demonstrate that performance to programme authorities is significantly more detailed. Arkle's approach to traceability and build documentation supports the audit trail that these programmes demand.
Our Ground Vehicle Electronics Manufacturing Capabilities
Applications Across Ground Vehicle and Land Platform Programmes
Arkle manufactures electronics for the systems and sub-systems that make defence UAV platforms work. Applications include the following.
Standards and Accreditations
Arkle holds ISO 9001:2015 quality management and ISO 14001:2015 environmental certification, with Cyber Essentials Plus achieved in 2026. Defence Cyber Certification (DCC) and ISO 27001 are in progress.
Assembly and process standards:
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IPC-A-610 Class 3 (assembly acceptability for defence and safety-critical applications)
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IPC/WHMA-A-620 (cable and harness assembly)
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IPC J-STD-001 (soldering requirements)
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IPC-CC-830C (conformal coating qualification and performance)
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IPC-7711/7721 (rework and repair)
Relevant environmental and platform qualification standards:
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DEF STAN 00-35 Part 3 (UK MoD environmental testing including vibration, shock, and temperature)
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DEF STAN 59-411 Land Class A (UK ground vehicle EMC)
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MIL-STD-461 (US/NATO EMC requirements for ground vehicle electronics)
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MIL-STD-810H Methods 501/502/503 (high temperature, low temperature, temperature shock)
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MIL-STD-810H Method 510 (sand and dust)
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MIL-STD-810H Method 512 (immersion)
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MIL-STD-810H Methods 514/516 (vibration and shock)
MIL-STD-1275 (28VDC ground vehicle power supply characteristics)
UK-based manufacturing means direct engineering communication, shorter supply chains, and faster response when programme requirements change. Our 50-plus years of experience across defence, aerospace, and medical electronics means the disciplines of quality, traceability, and process control are embedded in everything we produce.
We understand that ground vehicle programmes have long in-service lives, demanding procurement standards, and supply chain requirements that go beyond the initial build. Our approach to obsolescence management, build documentation, and long-term programme support reflects that reality.
Why Ground Vehicle Programmes Choose Arkle
Get in Touch
If you are working on a ground vehicle electronics programme and need a manufacturing partner with the right capabilities, standards knowledge, and approach to quality and traceability, we would welcome the conversation. Get in touch to discuss your requirements.
Speak to our team about your ground vehicle and armoured platform electronics manufacturing requirements.
Contact us | +44 (0)1438 721710 | info@arkle-electronics.co.uk
