Custom Orthomaster Mats Help Cushion Troops Inside ADF Armoured Vehicles
The Australian Defence Force’s M113 Armoured Personnel Carrier fleet has played a long-running role in transporting and supporting infantry in close-combat environments. As part of practical improvement work associated with the upgraded M113 fleet, AMCO Industries supplied custom Orthomaster® mats for use inside ADF armoured personnel carriers.
Unlike a standard floor-based anti-fatigue mat application, these Orthomaster mats were custom cut and bonded to selected hard internal wall surfaces inside the vehicle. The purpose was straightforward: to help cushion troops from knocks and incidental impacts against hard surfaces while travelling inside the carrier.
In an armoured vehicle, comfort and usability are not luxuries. Soldiers may be travelling in confined spaces while wearing helmets, body armour and load-bearing equipment, often across rough or uneven terrain. The addition of resilient wall-mounted matting provided a practical cushioning layer inside the troop compartment, helping reduce the harshness of contact with rigid interior surfaces.
The Vehicle: Australia’s Upgraded M113 Armoured Personnel Carrier
The M113 has been one of Australia’s long-serving tracked armoured vehicle platforms. The Australian National Audit Office described the M113 family as including several variants, with the Armoured Personnel Carrier being the most common. Other variants included the Armoured Fitter, Armoured Recovery Vehicle Light, Armoured Logistics Vehicle, Armoured Ambulance, Armoured Command Vehicle and Armoured Mortar.
The upgraded M113 fleet formed an important interim capability for Army while the next generation of land combat vehicles was being developed. The LAND 106 upgrade program involved extending ageing M113 hulls and fitting vehicles with new or refurbished components and equipment. The ADF expected to receive 431 upgraded M113s as part of this program.
Today, that broader armoured vehicle capability pathway continues through LAND 400 Phase 3, which is replacing the M113AS4 fleet with Redback Infantry Fighting Vehicles. Defence states that Hanwha Defence Australia has been contracted to deliver and support 129 locally built Redback IFVs for the Australian Army, to be operated by the 3rd Armoured Combat Brigade in Townsville.
This places AMCO’s M113 interior matting work in a clear defence context: a practical, vehicle-specific fitout solution for an upgraded armoured fleet that supported Army while the transition to the next generation of infantry fighting vehicles was being developed.
The Challenge: Meeting Defence Fitout Requirements Inside a Tracked Armoured Vehicle
Inside an armoured personnel carrier, the interior is built first for protection, equipment carriage and operational function. It is a compact, hard-edged environment. Troops can be seated close to metal walls, brackets, fittings and equipment while the vehicle moves, brakes or manoeuvres.
For this application, the matting needed to do more than provide general cushioning. It had to meet stringent defence fitout requirements while being practical enough to cut, bond and install on selected internal wall surfaces.
Key requirements included:
- Thermal insulation to help reduce contact discomfort against hard internal surfaces.
- Comfort and shock absorption to cushion troops from knocks and impacts while in transit.
- Durability for a demanding vehicle environment.
- Custom sizing to suit non-standard internal wall areas.
- Flammability performance, including certified self-extinguishing characteristics in line with relevant defence standards.
The requirement was for a robust cushioning material that could support troop comfort and usability without compromising the practical needs of an armoured vehicle interior.
AMCO supplied custom Orthomaster mats for this purpose, with pieces cut to suit selected interior wall areas and bonded in place to create a more forgiving contact surface inside the troop compartment.
The Solution: Custom Orthomaster Mats Bonded to Vehicle Walls
Orthomaster is best known as an ergonomic anti-fatigue matting product used across industrial, healthcare, food manufacturing and specialist work environments. For the M113 application, AMCO adapted the product for a different purpose: internal impact cushioning inside a tracked armoured vehicle.
Rather than supporting personnel underfoot, the Orthomaster material was used vertically on hard interior wall surfaces. This helped create a softer buffer between troops and the vehicle structure, while drawing on the same material properties that make Orthomaster suitable for demanding work environments.
This application drew on several important Orthomaster characteristics:
- Resilient cushioning to soften incidental contact with hard wall areas.
- Strong shock-absorbing performance for movement over rough ground.
- Very good thermal insulating properties.
- Closed-cell material performance, helping resist liquid absorption.
- Certified self-extinguishing performance for defence fitout requirements.
- Practical suitability for retrofit and specialised vehicle applications.
The project shows how a proven matting product can be adapted well beyond its usual use case when a client has a specific operational requirement.
Why Orthomaster Was Suited to the Application
AMCO has a history of working with defence-related environments. AMCO’s defence information notes the business has supplied specialised orthopaedic and ergonomic matting for Australia’s largest warships, as well as static dissipative matting for RAAF bases.
For the M113 fitout, Orthomaster’s value was its combination of cushioning, durability, thermal insulation and customisation. Its certified self-extinguishing performance was also an important factor for a defence vehicle interior, where materials must satisfy strict safety expectations. The material could be cut for a specific internal application, while providing a resilient surface in a vehicle environment where troops may otherwise come into contact with unforgiving metal structures.
This made Orthomaster a practical choice for a targeted comfort, safety and usability improvement inside the armoured personnel carrier.
The Outcome: A Practical Interior Upgrade for Troops in Transit
The custom Orthomaster wall matting provided a durable cushioning layer inside the upgraded M113 armoured personnel carriers.
For the ADF, the benefit was practical and direct. The mats helped soften selected hard wall surfaces inside the vehicle, supported thermal comfort, and added shock-absorbing protection for troops travelling in the APC.
For AMCO, the project demonstrated the company’s ability to respond to highly specific defence requirements with a custom-made matting solution. Rather than supplying a standard product for a standard floor application, AMCO adapted Orthomaster to suit the realities of a tracked armoured vehicle interior.
Australian-Made Matting Solutions for Defence Applications
From armoured personnel carriers to naval vessels, workshops, RAAF facilities and heavy industry sites, AMCO Industries supplies matting solutions for environments where durability, comfort and fit-for-purpose performance matter.
The M113 project is a strong example of how AMCO can customise proven matting products for unusual and technically specific applications. By adapting Orthomaster mats for use on interior vehicle walls, AMCO helped provide practical cushioning for troops travelling inside one of the Australian Army’s long-serving tracked armoured platforms.
Need a custom matting solution for defence, transport or industrial equipment?
Talk to AMCO Industries about custom Orthomaster mats and specialist matting products for demanding Australian workplaces.
