US Navy Awards Leonardo DRS $73M Shipboard Energy Magazine Contract
The US Navy has awarded DRS Naval Power Systems a potential $72.8 million contract to deliver a multi-application shipboard energy magazine by April 2027.
The Wisconsin-based subsidiary of Leonardo will design, fabricate, and test the power conversion system before handing it over for future and current naval vessels and weapons systems.
The magazine is designed to meet the rising power demands of naval platforms that have incorporated new technologies and systems requiring “high bursts of energy,’’ such as “pulse power weapons and sensor systems.”
Covers ‘Spiked’ Demand
The system stores energy in lithium iron phosphate batteries and employs advanced controls for energy management.
“The system is capable of supplying energy to either the ship’s electrical distribution system or directly to the pulse weapon/sensor accommodating spiked power demands that the ship’s generators cannot provide,” the manufacturer explained.
The system recharges through the ship’s electrical system during lower power demand and provides power back-up when the generator goes off. Moreover, its modular design ensures multiple configurations according to the needs of the platform or system.
