Spratt secures $3.5 million for Timken product

U.S. Rep. John Spratt secured $3.5 million for a product being developed by the Timken Company in a defense bill the House passed this week. Spratt is a senior member of the Armed Services Committee.

The money was included in the defense authorization bill. House passage of the legislation represents a major step toward final funding, but it is just one step in the process. The funding request still must clear other committees and the House and Senate floor, and the amount could change before reaching the President’s desk.

The product, the Advanced Electronic Drive, would improve engine and drive performance in military vehicles. It would sense changes in speed, temperature, shock and vibration, lubrication, and load and strain on ball bearings in the wheel joint, then compensate to optimize performance. The system would be quiet, robust, and easily replaceable.

Spratt said the Advanced Electronic Drive, favored by the Army, could benefit military vehicles used for reconnaissance, surveillance, and targeting.

“This funding is a good example of how the defense procurement can work with American companies to develop new technologies and stay competitive,” said Spratt.