The US Army has tapped LiquidPiston to develop a lightweight battlefield power generator for the dismounted soldier.
The $8.3-million contract will see the Connecticut-based company integrate its recently-launched XTS-210 rotary engine with a compact 10 kW generator set.
The army will then field-test the system.
Man-Portable
The generator is around one-quarter the size and weight of the currently fielded Advanced Medium Mobile Power Source (AMMPS) generator system, enabling man-portability.
The army’s fielded AMMPS systems require a truck, trailer, or forklift to transport.
The generator’s higher power density can ensure a nearly four-fold increase in power deployment to the battlefield with the same volume of transport as currently fielded gensets, the company said.
“Imagine the possibilities that are created when soldiers no longer have to haul a massive and inefficient generator on a towed trailer,” Dr. Alec Shkolnik, co-founder and CEO of LiquidPiston, said.
“This generator can have a revolutionary impact on the lives – and the mission success – of our armed forces.”
Saving Lives
The system’s higher efficiency would reduce the volume of fuel convoys to the front, responsible for around half the deaths of US personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“For our troops to successfully operate around the world, having a reliable, lightweight power source is imperative,” US Army Project Manager Expeditionary Energy & Sustainment Systems Col. Kathy M. Brown said.
“By significantly reducing the challenges of delivering essential power to our personnel, often operating in remote or contested terrain, this new capability will help improve military effectiveness and protect American lives.”