Reducing Costs for Missile Defence Systems
Generating, controlling, and delivering electric power is crucial for the effective deployment of modern military forces. This is particularly the case for air defence systems, where reliable power generation is the prerequisite for the efficiency of highly sophisticated and life-protecting equipment. With its field-proven power systems, Jenoptik has been part of PATRIOT’s global success story for more than 30 years.
In order to support the future of PATRIOT, Jenoptik has developed and implemented the next generation of energy supply. The company’s Hybrid Power Genset for PATRIOT features latest innovations for minimising operating costs. Its intelligent power management, peak-power supercap storage, and commercial grid interface allow for the use of a smaller, highly reliable, and more fuel-efficient engine-generator unit. Jenoptik’s new hybrid genset includes all electrical and mechanical interfaces to the PATRIOT system and is therefore completely interchangeable with existing units and ready to be integrated into the missile system, improving the economics of operation and the system uptime dramatically.
PATRIOT has now been deployed in more than ten countries, with eight of them using the highly reliable Jenoptik power supply system. “For more than three decades now, we have been providing state-of-the-art military energy supply solutions,” the company says. “Jenoptik has been successfully developing and manufacturing various kinds of gensets, power units, converters, and energy systems for civil and military vehicles, mobile platforms, and stationary systems. For the PATRIOT programme we offer complete power supply systems for launchers, radar stations (RS), engagement control stations (ECS), and command posts (ICC and CRG). The product family includes, in addition to the power units, power converters for operation on the local power grid.”
Jenoptik was awarded the Raytheon Supplier Excellence Award in both 2015 and 2016.
The PATRIOT Launcher requires the maximum generator power only in special operating conditions; regular operation requires only a small amount of power. However, the low power consumption leads to soot build up in the exhaust system, which necessitates a regular overhaul of the system. Jenoptik’s solution: the use of high-energy storage (super capacitors) to absorb peak loads and adaptation of the diesel engine (downsizing) to the average required power consumption of the starter.
- Downsizing of the engine and constant operation in the optimum performance range
- Considerable fuel savings (e.g., more than 50% with the Patriot Launcher)
- Reduction of life-cycle costs due to lower maintenance requirements and higher availability
- Easily exchange existing systems by maintaining the current system interfaces
- Integrated power converter for operation on public power lines worldwide (instead of a separate converter)
- Designed for global use in climatic zones according to MIL standard
- Use of modern supercapacitors as effective energy storage
- “Silent watch mode” and absorption of load peaks possible
During their mission in Afghanistan, ISAF demanded 1.8 million gallons (6.8 million litres) fuel every day for their equipment. With fuel costs of U$100-400 per gallon applying the fully burdened cost of fuel, smart energy saving solutions are essential. Thanks to reduced fuel and operating costs in deployment, the Jenoptik hybrid power supply pays for itself after less than eight months and the company provides operational forces more flexibility and make them less dependent on the logistics infrastructure.
At AUSA 2017, Jenoptik Advanced Systems, LLC, is exhibiting on booth #6817.
