Designed as an alternative to Jerry cans, these fuel bags are flexible and come with a fuel spout which stores inside a dust-proof integrated pouch.
Also available in 3 and 20 Liter sizes. Get yours here.
Archive for the ‘Power’ Category
Desert Fox 6L Overland Gas Bag
Sunday, May 9th, 2021Galvion Delivers First Silent Watch Battery Packs (SWBP) for Use in Canada’s LRSS LAV 6.0 Program
Thursday, April 15th, 2021Galvion is pleased to announce the first delivery of our Symbasys Swatpack™ modular battery systems to General Dynamic Land Systems-Canada for use in the Light Armoured Vehicle (LAV) Reconnaissance Surveillance System (LRSS). The LRSS LAV 6.0 will replace the Coyote LAV vehicle providing the Canadian Army with state-of-the art technology for advanced target detection, recognition and identification.
The Light Armoured Vehicle (LAV) 6.0 with state-of-the-art surveillance system. Photo courtesy of General Dynamic Land Systems-Canada.
Galvion’s Silent Watch battery solution consists of ten (10) Li-Ion Swatpack™ 160Ah/4KWh battery modules in a custom-designed ballistic enclosure which is mounted on the LAV 6.0. The 40Kwh system will provide the power to run the mounted surveillance system including cameras, thermal imagers, laser range finders, and other on-board electronic equipment. The robust bespoke solution can power these demanding electronics over extended periods of time, in all conditions, with no thermal or aural signature, preserving the batteries for engine starting.
Galvion’s Silent Watch Battery Pack (SWBP), containing ten (10) Symbasys SwatPack™ modules, will be mounted on the Canadian Army’s LAV LRSS military vehicles. The 40Kwh system will provide the power to run the mounted surveillance systems with no sound or thermal signature. The image on the left illustrates the system in custom enclosure, and image on the right is a top-down view.
“Our experience integrating Li-Ion batteries into military applications, and our long-standing partnership with Kokam, a world leader in lithium-ion cell manufacturing, were key in successfully engineering the optimum balance of technology, performance and safety required to meet all of the operational needs for this program,” said Peter Rafferty, Galvion’s V.P. of Platform Power. “Many years of development and a rigorous qualification program carried out over the past two years culminate in Galvion being able to deliver a unique set of capabilities for the LRSS LAV 6.0 program.”
Galvion looks forward to delivering the balance SWBP systems to GDLS Canada and is proud to be a part of this ground-breaking program for the Canadian Army.
Xentris Wireless Announces Expansion of its Manufacturing Operations
Thursday, March 25th, 2021ADDISON, Ill., March 24, 2021 — Xentris Wireless announces the strategic expansion of its current manufacturing capabilities at its headquarters in Addison, Illinois to support the production of its EXO Charge line. Last year, Xentris Wireless expanded its capabilities to include ruggedized charging and power solutions for the Warfighter by leveraging its knowledge of rapid consumer product development in conjunction with newly acquired knowledge of military power solutions.
“To further support our latest military product division, EXO Charge, we are proud to expand our manufacturing operations. With this addition, we now support all aspects of our product development process – designing, engineering, testing and manufacturing – under one roof,” states David Bailey, President & Chief Executive Officer.
Construction is currently underway and will incorporate new state-of-the-art automated equipment and testing to allow manufacturing to be the most efficient. The main production area is scheduled for completion during the second quarter of 2021. The development and expansion of this area will be an ongoing effort throughout the year.
“Our mission is to deliver the absolute best charging solutions that improve the agility of the modern Warfighter making them faster, lighter and more lethal. With all product development functions along with our manufacturing and distribution center in one location, it will enable us to execute product development and delivery much faster,” states Mike Stein, Vice President of Military & Government Services.
With nearly 30 years of experience, Xentris Wireless has built a reputation as a reliable partner in designing, manufacturing and distributing high quality, innovative wireless accessories supplying a full line of products to a wide range of customers and top wireless companies – including the largest wireless carriers, retailers and dealer agents.
Fort Bragg Warfighter 21 – Universal Battery Charger Lite from Thales
Friday, March 12th, 2021
Compact (2.3” x 6” x 3.5”) and lightweight (1.4lbs), the Universal Battery Charger Lite offers two cable-free charging port for each of the following batteries: BB-2590, AN/PRC-148 or AN/PRC-152, CWB and USB devices. There is also a High Power Inductive pad for cell phones as well as two input DC ports. Additionally, it includes a 6.5W aux DC port compatible with the Dell laptop AC adapter.
The UBC-L allows power harvesting from one battery type to another as well as collection from solar panels and car batteries. Three batteries and two USB devices can be simultaneously charged. Typical battery charging is 2.5 hours.
Displays charging power, state of charge and state of health.
Units and agencies can procure Thales comminication gear by contacting Atlantic Diving Supply.
Improving Military Electronic Devices with WattUp RF Wireless Charging Technology
Thursday, February 11th, 2021
Photo: U.S. Army. Use of this image is for informational purposes only – the appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.
As military forces become more technologically enabled, optimizing the size, weight and power requirements (SWAPO) for tactical electronic devices continues to provide opportunities for improvement. WattUp wireless charging is one innovative technology that program offices could implement to enhance battery and device designs.
WattUp is an embedded charging technology which eliminates the dependence on charging cables, open ports or battery doors that reduce the physical integrity and ruggedness of a device. This delivers the dual benefit of reducing the complexity of product design – which can lower both manufacturing and build of materials (BOM) costs – as well as increase a device’s durability and dependability.
WattUp uses radio frequency (RF) technology to establish a link between a transmitter and a receiver, sending power via antennas. It does not use magnetic coils, which require precise alignment or physical contact with the device for charging to take place. This new technology enables both at-contact and over-the-air wireless charging. WattUp also offers improvements in the orientation, placement and interference issues that can occur with coil-based charging. Support for different sized and shaped devices, along with foreign object detection and enhanced thermal performance round out the benefits of WattUp wireless charging from Energous.
WattUp® Mid Field and Far Field Transmitters sense and communicate to authorized receiver devices via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), but do not interfere with Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, as a different frequency band is used for the transmission of power. WattUp is also software-controlled, intelligently determining which devices receive power, when and in what priority. A WattUp transmitter can also charge several devices simultaneously, contributing to a complete wireless power ecosystem with interoperability across multiple receivers and transmitters. If there are no WattUp-enabled devices within range, the WattUp transmitter becomes idle so no power is wasted.
The WattUp receiver ASIC is a microchip embedded within the circuit board of the device that converts the transmitter’s radio waves into DC power to charge the device’s battery. WattUp receiver technology can be scaled to fit a variety of different electronic devices, including very small systems as small as in-ear communications and hearing protection.
The WattUp technology is FCC-approved for power to be transmitted at near field (0 – 5mm distance) and through the air at mid field ranges (up to 1m distance) – with distances of up to 5 meters being in the works.
Finally, the WattUp ecosystem features secure, cloud-based, management software, which enables users to track and manage multiple WattUp-enabled devices within a single environment. Users can set priorities and other alerts to maintain oversight of the health and power consumption of their devices and batteries – and get advance notice when they need recharging.
Military units need to have confidence in their equipment and the assurance that it will perform effectively when needed. Dead or defective batteries can be as unwelcome as non-serviceable weapon. With no need to manually check batteries or to physically connect devices to chargers, WattUp RF wireless charging technology gives leaders and soldiers the confidence that their batteries and devices will be charged and ready when needed.
To find out more about how WattUp® RF wireless charging technology can be applied to military applications, visit energous.com/military, or contact us at military@energous.com.
Increasing Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Coverage with Automated Wireless Recharging of Small Tactical UAVs
Wednesday, January 20th, 2021The U.S. departments of Defense and Homeland Security will spend billions of dollars over the next few years on unmanned aerial and ground vehicles (UAVs) and sensor systems. The U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps will make greater use of Class I mini/micro vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) UAVs to provide tactical intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities at the small unit level. Other branches of the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security are also dramatically increasing the use of drones and sensors as crucial components of infrastructure, border, and base defense systems.
Small, portable, VTOL, UAV systems provide a unique and flexible maneuverable airborne platform for close-to-mid-range intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) coverage. Class I drones of this type are rapidly becoming the must-have “eye in the sky” for military and security forces seeking crucial information-based tactical command and control capability.
Photo: FLIR Systems R80D SkyRaider Class I VTOL UAV system. Copyright: FLIR Systems.
Virtually all small UAV platforms, however, rely on batteries that provide only a short amount of flight time before they need to be recharged or replaced – manually. This need to manually replace and recharge batteries presents obvious tactical and logistical issues.
But what if there was a way for UAVs to be autonomously, automatically and wirelessly recharged whenever and wherever necessary? Well, now there is. WattUp® radio frequency (RF) wireless charging technology from Energous Corporation.
As WattUp is an embedded technology, there is no need for cables, ports or battery doors that reduce the physical integrity of devices and increase the complexity of product design and manufacturing. By eliminating these features, hardware can have greater physical integrity, including being dust- and waterproof – keeping internal circuitry fully protected. And as there is no need to manually disconnect and replace batteries or connect chargers – multiple cables, connectors and adapters can be eliminated.
Illustration by U.S. Army. U.S. ground troops patrol while unmanned ground vehicles carry their extra equipment and small UAVs provide aerial surveillance coverage.
Use of this image is for informational purposes only – the appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.
WattUp uses RF signal technology similar to Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to establish a link between a Power Transmitter and a Power Receiver. Once a connection is established, the transmitter sends power to the receiver along the same signal path. This “conversation” happens 100x/second and sends power safely to devices or batteries at various distances.
WattUp does not use magnetic coils requiring precise alignment or physical contact with the device for charging to take place – power is transmitted through the air at near-field and mid-field ranges. This capability makes WattUp ideal for devices that have rounded or irregular shapes – like most UAVs. WattUp systems also can be set up to charge automatically as soon as the device is within range of a transmitter, with a single transmitter capable of charging several devices simultaneously.
A drone that is part of the 379th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron (379th ESFS) counter-small unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) program stands ready Nov. 5, 2020, at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. The 379th ESFS Defenders have established one of the most robust C-UAS programs in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility to detect and defend against adversarial drones that pose a potential threat to the safety and security of AUAB.
Photo credit: U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Brigette Waltermire. Use of this image is for informational purposes only – the appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.
Finally, WattUp’s secure, cloud-based, management software enables users to track a battery’s state of charge and determine when it will need recharging. It also enables users to monitor the health and status of batteries held in depots and storerooms so that batteries can be issued with full assurance.
WattUp® RF wireless charging technology can potentially bring many new benefits and capabilities to military and homeland security UAV operators. For example, when multiple UAVs are providing roving aerial surveillance for base and infrastructure defense, a WattUp-enabled drone could be set to automatically fly back to a landing / charging pad to recharge at the end of its flight time, while a fully charged UAV lifts off to take its place. With UAVs automatically rotating in and out of service and recharging autonomously, uninterrupted ISR coverage of areas of interest could be achieved.
WattUp also has a potential role in the unmanned aerial systems (UAS) rich operational scenarios envisioned in the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps concepts for the squad of the future. Autonomous ground vehicles such as the MUTT military utility tactical truck could be utilized as automated mobile RF wireless charging stations, enabling tactical VTOL UAVs to recharge near the forward edge of the battle area.
Without the need for manual interaction, power transmission could also be done safely at higher levels (to achieve shorter charging times) than is possible when human operators are present. WattUp systems are also scalable, so power transmission levels can be adjusted as necessary for the application and operating environment. For example, a 15W Base Station system could be scaled up to 30W or 45W, while charging distance can scale from 5mm for high power devices, up to few meters for lower power applications.
Soldiers deploy a small ‘quadcopter’ style UAV system on a tactical reconnaissance mission.
Photo: InstantEye Robotics Mk-3 GEN4-D1 small unmanned aerial system. Copyright: InstantEye Robotics.
Unmanned aerial systems, and the sensor packages they carry, have become a must-have facet of military and security forces today – and their importance will only continue to grow. Short flight times and manual battery changing and charging, however, limit how much critical ISR capability they can deliver.
Implementing WattUp RF wireless charging technology could help small UAS operators overcome the issues associated with current battery charging options, and thus be a force multiplier for critical tactical ISR capabilities.
For further information about employing WattUp® RF wireless charging technology in military applications, visit energous.com/military.
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By Lawrence Holsworth and James Pope
Energous Showcases Military Applications for WattUp RF Wireless Charging Technology
Tuesday, January 5th, 2021
WattUp® radio frequency (RF) wireless charging technology provides at-distance charging capability that is suitable for many military applications – including; UAVs/UGVs, communication devices, situational awareness and targeting devices, portable field medical equipment, and more.
WattUp wireless technology does not require cables, ports or battery doors – so circuits and hardware are better protected against moisture and dust. WattUp enabled devices can also be set up to charge automatically at distance from a transmitter as soon as they’re in range – no need to manually check battery levels or connect chargers.
Finally, the system’s secure, cloud-based, management software also enables commanders to track how much power is being used by a device, and to gain advance notice of when it will need recharging. It also enables units to be able to monitor the health and status of batteries held in depots and storerooms so that they can be issued with full assurance.
For further details, go to: bit.ly/wattup-military
Illustration copyright: U.S. Army. Image is used for informational purposes only. The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.
Galvion Enters ‘Low Rate Initial Production’ With Unique Symbasys SWitchPack i6T Li-ion Vehicle Battery
Thursday, November 26th, 2020
Galvion, a world leader in the design and manufacture of military power management solutions has entered Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) with their unique Symbasys SWitchPack™ i6T Li-ion vehicle battery. LRIP has commenced following a series of successful tests to validate compliance with the international standards for military batteries and to prove the system fully safe and ready for installation and use in military vehicles.
Galvion has demonstrated prototype variants of their Li-ion battery over the last 2 years, with a considerable amount of product development and testing conducted to reach this important production milestone of what has become the SWitchPack i6T unit. What makes Galvion’s solution both unique and ground-breaking is the use of a blended lithium chemistry that has been tailored to match the specific needs of military vehicle power. Galvion is the only company in the world to use this chemistry blend for military applications. High purity materials combined with quality separators and laser welded electrodes minimize losses and unwanted chemical side-reactions which extends cycle life and environmental performance. The SWitchPack i6T uses a proprietary smart internal Battery Management System (BMS) that includes self-shutdown and self-balancing protocols in unsafe conditions. The BMS has been bespoke designed to effectively operate in the harsh conditions and environments experienced on military operations. It also has a battle-override facility for “beyond-the-specs” operation in unprecedented combat mission scenarios.
From a user perspective, Galvion’s Symbasys SWitchPack™ i6T battery offers considerable capability enhancements and through-life efficiencies. Maintenance free across a 10-year service lifespan, the battery will deliver as much as 8000 recharge cycles; over twice that offered by any alternative 6T Li-ion unit. Compared to a traditional lead-acid 6T battery, SWitchPack delivers 3 times the useable capacity and energy at 24Volts (78Ah) and is 38% lighter in weight. Through-life cost savings are 87% compared to lead-acid 6T alternatives and 43% compared to other 6T Li-ion brands.
Galvion’s Symbasys SWitchPack™ i6T Li-ion vehicle battery meets demanding military standards including MIL-STD-1275, MIL-STD-810 and MIL-PRF-32565B. Furthermore, the i6T has been demonstrated safe when subjected to extensive ballistic and non-ballistic penetration and meets stringent UN 38.3 commercial safety standards.
Peter Rafferty, Galvion’s V.P. of Platform Power said: “entering initial production with our i6T battery is a huge milestone for Galvion. We’ve developed a truly ground-breaking product that we know is well ahead of our competition, globally. Our ongoing work with a number of major defence vehicle primes positions us at the forefront of not only battery technology, but perhaps more importantly, as the leader in understanding the integration challenges involved in fitting these kinds of battery systems in modern military vehicles”. He added “vehicle power is an area where we forecast massive growth. The power demands on modern military vehicles are huge and continue to increase as more electronic sub-systems are integrated. With our SWitchPack i6T battery we’re bringing the military vehicle market up to date with the very best technology available that not only increases capability but also significantly reduces through-life costs”.
www.galvion.com/pages/symbasys_switchpack_i6t_vehicle_battery
