The Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit has selected Thales’ U.S.-based Defense & Security, Inc. (TDSI) business to develop and prototype new Small Tactical Universal Batteries (STUB), intended to reduce troops’ logistical burden.
TDSI will build hundreds of prototype batteries by 2025 for the STUB effort, the company said on Wednesday.
“A standard family of batteries is needed to help reduce the service’s logistical burden and simplify the number of batteries that operational units must carry to power the network and other systems,” TDSI said. “TDSI’s focus will be on making the STUB batteries a successful program by focusing on key performance areas of thermal, power conversion efficiency, and ultra-low electromagnetic emissions, in order to meet stringent and demanding radio receive and transmit requirements.”
The STUB effort aims to develop small batteries for networking and radio communications and is part of DIU’s Family of Advanced Standard Batteries, or FAStBat, initiative which the organization has said aims to “develop form-fit-function battery standards for defense, [electric vehicles] and grid applications” and a 2030 objective to “meet critical defense battery demand with multiple-source domestic suppliers.”
Paul Mehney, TDSI’s vice president of strategy and communications, confirmed the STUB program will be executed in phased awards and the company has received a deal on February 13 worth up to $3 million for the initial development phase.
As part of slate of FAStBat awards detailed in December, DIU noted it also selected Bren-Tronics, Inc. for the effort “to develop and manufacture rechargeable battery packs using high-capacity, safety-tested cells.”
“Through this contract, DIU is seeking prototype universal battery technology to drive the department to standard battery configurations for network equipment such as tactical data radios. Currently there are several battery configurations requiring operational units to carry multiple types of batteries for their network equipment sets,” Mehney said. “The Army has indicated to industry that soldier feedback from the Integrated Tactical Network fielding highlighted a need for universal battery configurations. This effort will provide design, integration and battery prototypes to help inform government use cases and ultimate design specifications.”
TDSI said it will utilize processes already employed for building its AN/PRC-148 radio family of batteries for the STUB effort, adding the prototypes will include “an innovative common USB-C Power Delivery interface and higher capacity NanoGraf cells, which facilitates battery charging by leveraging [commercial off-the-shelf] chargers and reduces battery type inventories required throughout the Joint Services.”
“With expertise spanning more than 60 years, Thales Defense & Security, Inc. is a global leader in the development and manufacture of combat-proven, tactical communications equipment including batteries and chargers,” Mike Sheehan, president and CEO of TDSI, said in a statement. “We have successfully delivered over 300,000 integrated handheld radios and over 1,000,000 batteries to the Department of Defense. We are proud to have been awarded this contract by DIU and are certain this strong partnership will continue.”