Battlefield Power Unit

Battlefield Power Unit. This power source, called the Special Operations Forces Aluminum Air (SOFAL) battery, was developed as a reserve system to support specialized military communications equipment in covert field operations. The SOFAL weighs approximately 7.3 kg after activation and powers 12 and 24 VDC equipment with pulse currents up to 10 Amps, continuous drains up to 4 Amps and has a design capacity of 120 Ah. To minimize weight, this battery is carried to the field dry and can be activated with any source of water. 

Following discharge, the cell stack can be replaced to provide a new battlefield power unit. 

Finally, the medical logistical requirements will be increased. It has been stated that up to 40% more transport is required to move a typical field hospital in a chemical environment, and the fuel necessary to power air pumps, special filtration units, and air conditioners is an added requirement.35 Water requirements may also be increased in a chemical environment. Medical treatment facility planners should recognize the importance of environmental factors within a chemical warfare theater. For example, the MOPP gear may not be designed for the climatic conditions on the battlefield. Tests have shown that perspiration compromises the ability of the battledress overgarment to protect the wearer from chemical agents36 and may actually predispose an individual to injury.32... 

Self-contained, man-portable Al-air alkaline batteries are widely used in battlefield applications and remote military locations. The battery units initially come with dry alkali contained in the cells, and water can be added when electrical power is desired. The modules can provide temporary electrical power for mobile shelters, command and control communications centers, and field medical facilities. The man-portable Al-air batteries can act as power supplies for unmanned vehicles. Specific details on the components used in the self-contained, man-portable Al-air battery are shown in Figure 6.3. Such a battery was designed and developed about 15 years ago for UAVs and UUWVs and is capable of providing a nominal power of 1.6 kW and a peak power of 4 kW. But, the next generation of such a battery with high-quality alloy is expected to have a peak power exceeding 5 kW. 

Roosevelt died before the United States loosed its atomic weapons on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, so he never saw the bomb s devastating powers or its psychological impact on the world. Many of those who did soon echoed Roosevelt s beliefs, suggesting that conventional warfare—in which armies are summoned to face one another on the battlefield— would no longer be a part of life on earth. 

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