New US Navy batteries are deemed submarine-safe
The Iver4 900 AUV on which the new battery pack was tested. (Picture: L3Harris)
The use of Passive Propagation Technology significantly reduces the risk of Lithium-ion batteries for use in torpedo tube launched AUVs.
The US Navy has designed fault-tolerant Lithium-ion (Li-ion) Passive Propagation Resistant (PPR) batteries suitable for use on submarine AUVs, in collaboration with L3Harris.
Lithium-ion batteries have long posed a conundrum for armed forces: in terms of power generation and delivery, they have become a reliable standard. But they have also historically been both a significant fire hazard and a distinct explosion risk. Those risks are exacerbated by the nature of submarines in terms of both pressure and oxygen replenishment, so taking Li-ion batteries into the underwater battlefield has always required extreme care.
The particular risk of Li-ion batteries is in
Already have an account? Log in
Want to keep reading this article?
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Maritime defence in the Mediterranean faces challenges from vulnerable land power]()
Maritime defence in the Mediterranean faces challenges from vulnerable land power
As an indispensable energy crossroads, the Mediterranean is at serious risk from grey zone disruption. As navies increasingly employ AI data centres, what happens when cutting-edge defence technologies rely on the very infrastructure most susceptible to hybrid tactics?
-
![Future Canadian Continental Defence Corvette will provide “Halifax-equivalent capabilities”]()
Future Canadian Continental Defence Corvette will provide “Halifax-equivalent capabilities”
Although the CDC project is still in its early stages, the Canadian Department of National Defence already has some requirements for the future platforms.
-
![US Navy to acquire micro-uncrewed underwater vehicles for ISR and coastal data collection]()
US Navy to acquire micro-uncrewed underwater vehicles for ISR and coastal data collection
The Naval Supply Systems Command is seeking authorised resellers of JaiaBot uncrewed underwater vehicles and multivehicle pods. The platforms will support undergraduate education at the US Naval Academy.
