The US Office of Naval Research (ONR) has contracted UTC Aerospace Systems to continue work on the unmanned undersea vehicle (UUV) energy-dense PES propulsion system programme.
Free Buyers Guide
Leading Guide to Submarine and Submersible Suppliers for the Naval Industry
Thank you.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Related Company Profiles
Your download email will arrive shortly.Please check your mail inbox to download buyer's guide
You may also be interested in:
As part of the long-endurance undersea vehicle propulsion (LEUVP) energy programme, UTC’s ISR and Space Systems team will now start on the next follow-on development phases of a proton-exchange membrane based fuel cell energy system (PES).
The LEUVP programme aims to complete a demonstration at technology readiness level (TRL) six.
UTC Aerospace Systems space systems general manager Allen Flynt said: "The fuel cell hardware design selected for the LEUVP programme is identical to that being used for our qualified fuel cell power module on the Spanish Navy’s S-80 submarine.
"With this heritage we feel that we are well-placed with our partners to deliver a proven option to ONR and the US Navy on this programme."
The follow-on phases will focus on the design and development of a safe, reliable and affordable PES for installation onto a 21in diameter UUV. The PES would replace existing battery systems and is expected to provide a greater range and operational flexibility to the US Navy.
During the previous development phase, the PES system was successfully tested for over 30 hours using an integrated cryogenic reactant system and fuel cell power plant. This provided 42kWh of energy over a power range of 100W to 3800W.
The system features a qualified fuel cell stack design, simple balance of plant and dense reactant storage.
It is scalable, can be incorporated into larger displacement autonomous underwater vehicles and delivers the operational capability required for future UUV missions.
Free Buyers Guide
Leading Guide to Submarine and Submersible Suppliers for the Naval Industry
Thank you.
Your download email will arrive shortly.Please check your mail inbox to download buyer's guide
You may also be interested in:
By downloading this Buyers Guide, you acknowledge that GlobalData UK Limited may share your information with our partners/sponsors who may contact you directly with information on their products and services.
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how GlobalData may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.