Integrated into British Army VIRTUS System
At DVD 2018 next month, Epsilor will showcase its conformable soldier-wearable military battery technology for advanced ‘digital soldier’ programmes.
The battery will be on show as part of VIRTUS, the British Army’s new soldier system, made by SOURCE Tactical Gear. SOURCE has integrated Epsilor’s battery into the VIRTUS textile vest, placing it in the MOLLE hip battle belt, thus offering soldiers maximum comfort.
“Epsilor’s batteries are packed in flat ergonomic flexible packaging that conveniently integrates into the soldier’s vest,” explained SOURCE Tactical Gear CEO, Guy Harary. “The conformal battery is much more comfortable to carry, does not hinder soldiers’ movements and enables the troops to carry out their mission without disruption.”
The battery is offered in two configurations: the ELI-1614 Conformal Battery – a rechargeable semi-flexible high energy density Li-ion battery pack; and the ELP-1614 – a rechargeable semi-flexible lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) battery, offering increased safety. Both batteries support a wide verity of applications, such as communications, tactical computers, sensors and additional devices, offering high energy and high power density as well as SMBus or one-wire communication protocols.
“In a large-scale trial conducted by the Israel Defence Forces, infantry soldiers used Epsilor’s wearable conformal batteries instead of traditional rigid batteries, each fit a unique device, and benefited from a significant increase in available energy for different kinds of portable equipment,” commented Epsilor’s Director, International Sales and Marketing, Merav Kolody Shubeli. “In a 72-hour mission profile, batteries’ weight decreased by 30%.”
Today’s digital soldiers rely on tactical radios, ruggedised computing and navigation systems, night vision systems and gun sights. This translates into multiple spare batteries of varying configurations that an infantry soldier must carry with him. Using conformal batteries to operate multiple devices simplifies the logistics and the usage of batteries before, during and after a mission.
At DVD, Epsilor will also showcase its 6T NATO battery, which high energy density and 1,000 deep charge cycles. Epsilor’s 6T type batteries are the optimal energy storage solution for new military vehicle programmes as well as for drop-in replacement in existing vehicle fleets. This new 6T battery offers four times more energy at just half the weight of modern lead-acid 6T batteries.
