Today’s warfighter is highly dependent upon many electronic devices for survival in the field. Those diverse electronic devices need power to work. Fortunately, battery technologies are one of the commodities in the field that supply that power. Unfortunately, those batteries are usually of custom form and fit, from multiple commercial sources, and the logistics involved in maintaining an adequate supply of custom batteries for the warfighter is extremely difficult. Each electronic device more than likely has a unique form and fit battery. The warfighter must carry enough spare batteries of each type necessary to complete the mission. This adds a significant amount of weight to the warfighter’s provisions. Precious time is spent locating the right replacement battery on his/her person. Finally, dead batteries are not necessarily disposable, so the warfighter must maintain the dead battery “shells” until the next visit to a supply location.

A practical solution is to utilize commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) batteries. Ready availability around the world would shorten the supply chain. Today’s COTS battery technologies are more advanced in their storage power capacity. They last longer and need less frequent replacement. Their form and fit has progressed as well.

Another option is to modify legacy custom battery enclosure “shells” to hold several COTS batteries (“AA”, for example). These battery technologies are available today, around the world – easily supportable and readily accessible. This leads to a better outfitted warfighter with greater capabilities to complete missions.

The logistics burden of supplying power to the battlefield is growing and becoming more complex, due to the current lack of battery standardization and unification. A solution may be to utilize commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) battery power sources. Standard-size alkaline, lithium (Li) ion or nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries are readily available in traditional commercial outlets. Today’s technology has made “D”, “C”, “AA”, or “AAA” standard-size batteries viable options to traditional legacy power sources. They can provide the same or greater power capacities and are disposable.

The key to utilizing these resources is to research the form, fit, and function of each legacy power supply and engineer the COTS batteries to adapt as necessary. By matching system voltages and capacities to COTS equivalents, the legacy battery cases can then be adapted to hold COTS batteries and still physically fit within the existing system. The AN/PRC-112 hand-held radio, for example, uses a one-time use, disposable Lithium-type custom battery costing from $85 to more than $100 each. The EMPF reengineered and modified the existing battery case to hold eight (8) standard “AA” non-rechargeable Lithium-ion or rechargeable Ni-MH batteries, costing significantly less (Figure 1-1). The new battery casings are reusable. This redesign enables soldiers to support
missions for longer durations.

The traditional method for the warfighter to replace used battery cells is to either discard or turn in the old cell at a supply location and get restocked, expending valuable time. Once a COTS adaptation is accomplished across all portable power systems, the time and materiel logistics burden to the warfighter can be reduced. The soldier will only need to carry COTS batteries, which are easily stocked, supplied, and disposed.

Primary batteries, particularly those made from lithium, can deliver up to eight times the watt-hour capacity
of conventional rechargeable batteries; however, new rechargeable batteries using a lithium anode will also have higher capacity than the conventional rechargeable batteries. The logistics of primary batteries are simple, as portable energy can be made available at remote distribution points that are unmanned and have no electricity. Disposal is easy because little toxic material is used. Primaries are simple to store, as they require no maintenance, and a primary battery has a shelf life of 10 years; however, because they are single-use, the cost of the primary battery is about three times higher than that of a rechargeable one.

In contrast, lithium-based batteries are good for only two to three years, whether used or not. Cool storage at a 40 percent charge level prolongs longevity, though. Nickel-based batteries are good for five years and longer, but they require priming to regain performance after extended storage.

All of these factors must be taken into consideration when making final decisions on power supplies for the warfighter. A rechargeable battery pack saves costs in materials and saves the time expended going to and from the supply depot, but the soldier must have a readily available charging system in the field. On the other hand, disposable, non-rechargeable batteries can keep the warfighter in the field longer, with immediate replacements available (albeit a finite, depletable stock on hand). A combination of the two – rechargeable and disposable – may be the answer. The soldier can recharge the battery pack as often as is practical in the field when a charger becomes available. At others times, disposable batteries maintained in the soldier’s uniform can be used. This would keep the warfighter mission-ready.

Stocking of rechargeable batteries requires significant maintenance, keeping track of the battery’s state of health, cycle count, and age. Due to high self-discharge, nickel-based batteries exhibit a 10-20% self-discharge per month. This compares with 5-10% for lithium and lead-based batteries. Self-discharge increases at higher temperatures. “Smart” monitoring of effective battery power is a significant aspect for military use, but it is rarely available with primary batteries. While such implementations add to the cost of each battery, they reduce the total life cycle cost of the entire battery inventory.

The use of regenerable power is becoming critical for military missions. To aid the mission, the use of COTS battery technologies can only benefit the warfighter. Shortened lead times to replenishment, increased power capacity with the advent of newer technologies, and increased versatility will allow today’s warfighter to manage more reliable, longer lasting electronic equipment. Disposability and interchangeability will only further streamline the logistics process. All of this technology is readily available to the warfighter today – now all we have to do is embrace it.