A Major Leap Forward in Battery Technology

Militaries are becoming increasingly dependent on the performance of batteries to sustain and improve peacekeeping capabilities. Current operations are limited by today’s battery technologies, and future improvements in mission capability have been hampered by the pace of new battery development--the predominant issue surrounds weight versus power density. For instance, a typical four-day mission can require up to twenty pounds of batteries, as well as eight different variants, which adds a supply chain logistics obstacle to an already challenging problem for today’s peacekeeper. It’s also important to note that as batteries reach their minimum capacities and become no longer useful during the mission, they are discarded in the field, further exacerbating the environmental impact associated with peacekeeping efforts. The challenge to industry: significantly reduce weight while increasing power density. Provided these two primary goals can be met, mission capability will be greatly improved, with the added benefit of reducing environmental impact in the field. A Major Leap Forward in Battery Technology