DeVal Lifecycle Support is returning to the National Defense Industrial Association Support Equipment & Vehicle Modernization Summit at the Georgia National Fairgrounds May 11th–15th, continuing engagement with U.S. Air Force stakeholders focused on advancing support equipment capabilities that directly impact mission readiness.
This year, DeVal is showcasing our modernized MHU-141 munitions trailer, along with its Universal Rotary maintenance system, demonstrating a practical approach to improving both equipment performance and field-level maintainability.
Vice President of Business Development, Jeannie Whitfield, states “We’re looking forward to engaging directly with our customers and continuing to build strategic alignment that translates operational requirements into solutions that support readiness, reliability, and long-term sustainment.”
The MHU-141 remains a widely used asset across the Air Force for munitions handling and flightline support, enabling the movement and positioning of critical payloads in support of aircraft generation.
While the platform remains operationally relevant, legacy configurations often require frequent maintenance and are susceptible to corrosion and wear, particularly in high-use and environmentally exposed conditions.
DeVal’s modernization effort focuses on improving reliability, durability, and maintainability at the point of use, ensuring the equipment performs consistently in operational environments.
Key upgrades include:
Zero-maintenance steering systems
Stainless steel alloy pins and bronze bushings eliminate lubrication requirements while preventing corrosion-related degradation
Sealed wheel bearings
Permanently lubricated bearings remove routine servicing requirements and improve long-term durability
Corrosion-resistant hydraulics
Stainless steel, Teflon-coated hoses and upgraded fittings provide resistance to abrasion, moisture, and environmental exposure
Modernized braking systems
Conversion from drum to disc brakes improves braking consistency while reducing adjustment and maintenance requirements
Upgraded electrical and lighting systems
LED lighting and sealed harnesses improve reliability while reducing power draw and replacement cycles
These upgrades are designed to extend asset lifecycle, reduce maintenance frequency, and ensure consistent performance in harsh operating conditions.
Support equipment plays a direct role in mission generation, particularly in munitions handling and aircraft turnaround operations.
When equipment requires frequent maintenance or experiences performance degradation, it directly impacts:
By improving reliability and reducing maintenance requirements, modernized MHU-141 platforms help:
These improvements align with Agile Combat Employment (ACE), where support equipment must operate reliably in distributed, resource-constrained environments with limited access to maintenance infrastructure.
Strategic Account Manager Dan Fisher adds, “Our Air Force customers are focused on speed, reliability, and usability at the point of need, and that’s exactly what we’re working to support with these modernization efforts.” Dan continues, “When support equipment is easier to maintain and more reliable in the field, it directly impacts fleet readiness and reduces the strain on our warfighters and maintainers, and that’s where we’re focused.”
In addition to the modernized trailer, DeVal is also showcasing its Universal Rotary system, a separate capability designed to address a critical challenge in support equipment maintenance: safe and efficient access to the asset during repair and inspection.
The Universal Rotary System:
This system can be used across multiple platforms, allowing maintainers to perform inspections and repairs more efficiently without relying on complex lifting equipment or fixed facilities.
Modernization does not always require replacing entire systems. Many times, warfighter impact comes from improving the performance and maintainability of existing assets while introducing complementary tools that help service members and maintainers reduce required maintenance and increase ease of use and functionality of the asset.
DeVal’s approach focuses on:
The SE&V Modernization Summit provides an opportunity to engage directly with the Air Force community and demonstrate how both modernized support equipment and maintenance-enabling solutions can support operational outcomes.
For DeVal this means supporting our customers by delivering capabilities that strengthen mission readiness, operational availability, and maintainer effectiveness in dynamic environments.
See It in Action at the Summit
Visit DeVal at our outside booth at the SE&V Modernization Summit to see the modernized MHU-141 and Universal Rotary system firsthand and discuss how these solutions can support your program. To book a meeting with our team, click here
About DeVal Lifecycle Support
DeVal Lifecycle Support, a Parts Life, Inc. Company, is a full service build to print mechanical manufacturer of armament and ground support equipment, sub-assemblies, and major parts and components for military systems and sub-systems for over 70 years. As a small business certified HUBZone contractor for the Department of Defense, DeVal LCS is a full-service original equipment manufacturer with extensive high precision machining capabilities used to support our prime and government customers. Products include munitions trailers adapters & add-ons, drawbars, cargo loaders, weapon transport adapters, bomb hoist, dollies, self-propelled weapons loaders, testing and tool sets, and more. Our electronic, electric, and electrical manufacturing capabilities include wiring harnesses and electronic test sets. DeVal operates under regimented performance guidelines constituted by ISO9001:2015 and AS9100D Certified Quality Management Systems Programs.
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