$1.25bn for next generation US silicon anode military batteries
The US military has commissioned four companies to supply its next generation Conformal Wearable Battery (CWB) to supply power for soldier’s equipment.
The CWB is a 150kWh rechargeable lithium ion power system for the Nett Warrior (NW) suite of electronic devices for 24 hours. This will support the integrated Situational Awareness (SA) system used during combat operations, including the Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS) from Microsoft (better known as Hololens 2) , and Next Generation Squad Weapons (NGSW).
The U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center’s Command, Power and Integration Directorate Power Division has been working on the silicon anode technology for the 10Ah system with a voltage range of 10V to 16.8V and measures 221 x 415 x 18mm, weighing 1.18kg. A key aspect of the design alongside the ability to survive bullet penetration tests is the operating range from -20 degrees C to 60 degrees C.
The four companies supplying the battery system are Bren-Tronics, Ultralife, Navitas Systems and Inventus Power will supply the units until May 2030.
“Soldier power demands have continually increased, requiring centralized, rugged and wearable power solutions,” said Doug Petito, Senior Vice President, Bren-Tronics, Inc. “Our CWB enables immediate integration into the NW, IVAS, and NGSW systems. Leveraging our 48 years of design and manufacturing experience in delivering millions of batteries to the Military, Bren-Tronics stands ready to meet the U.S. Army’s power requirements today and in the future.”
www.bren-tronics.com; www.ultralifecorporation.com; https://www.navitassys.com; www.inventuspower.com
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