Vehicles and Mechatronics Group

We provide research, consultancy and a range of educational courses in weapon and vehicle systems and their design, dynamics and related subjects. This also covers general engineering and design.

Some of our areas of expertise include propulsion, dynamics, and terramechanics; health and usage monitoring systems (HUMS) and system integration of land platforms; gun system design for ballistics, small arms, cannon, direct and indirect fire large-calibre systems; and general mechanical design.

The Group has gained an international reputation for its work in the fundamental areas of weapons and vehicle design. Meeting challenges from both military and civilian organisations, we apply our knowledge and expertise at the limits of current physical, engineering and technological capability to provide solutions to a broad range of problems.

We are structured into two streams: Vehicles and Control, headed by Professor John Economou (who is also Head of Group), and Defence Electronics, headed by Dr Nalinda Hettiarachchi,
with staff working alongside each other to ensure all aspects of systems are considered. We are also home to a variety of resources that complement the Group’s activities, from the Engineering Dynamics Centre - a vehicle dynamics testing facility - through to the specialist modelling and simulation packages.

The Group complements the research and consultancy delivering MSc level courses specialising in weapon and vehicle technology at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom and overseas with the academic lecturing augmented by many practical elements such as design exercises and case studies.