GA-EMS to supply capacitors for PEVS
General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) will develop and supply advanced, high energy density capacitors for the US military under a contract from the Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Directorate through the Department of Defense Ordnance Technology Consortium, the company announced on 3 January.
The capacitors will be integrated into a non-lethal Pre-Emplaced Vehicle Stopper (PEVS) system for use in force protection and vehicle checkpoint operations.
The PEVS system is a pre-placed, non-intrusive device designed to stop vehicles safely. When a vehicle rolls over a set of contacts, the PEVS system delivers a short, intense electrical pulse to disable the vehicle’s electrical components without harming the passengers inside.
Nick Bucci, vice president for missile defense and space systems at GA-EMS, said: ‘We continue to shape capacitor technologies to address an expanding range of applications, including the advancement of directed energy weapon systems with non-lethal effects. The PEVS system has the potential to support multiple missions and be mobile as operations change, making a compact footprint a critical requirement.
‘We are employing advanced capacitor technologies and manufacturing techniques to develop significantly higher energy density capacitors that will provide reliable, pulsed power output in a small, easy to transport package.’