Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Soldier Energy Needs Outpacing Technology, Policy
National Defense Magazine ^ | 3/1/2012 | Eric Beidel

Posted on 02/23/2012 5:59:43 PM PST by U-238

Eric Shields, an engineer with the Naval Surface Warfare Center’s Carderock Division, never thought he would have to monitor the use of a microwave oven in Afghanistan.

But that is exactly what he and his colleagues have been doing to gauge how much power Marines are using in theater.

“If the microwaves and coffee pots are turned on at the same time, it could trip your generator,” Shields told a recent Institute for Defense and Government Advancement symposium. Sometimes a generator is left on too long, and the temperature inside the tent drops so much that Marines are forced to take their cots outside to sleep.

The military over the past decade has been grappling with the issue of power and its effects on everything from the mundane — like microwaves and coffee pots — to the sustainment of troops on foot patrols. But after years of study and laboratory work, troops still need a multitude of batteries to power their many devices, all of it adding weight to sometimes already intolerable loads.

In 2004, an Army platoon needed 889 batteries of seven different types that weighed about 160 pounds to power 13 individual systems during a five-day mission. The demand for power has increased since then.

“We’re using more energy per soldier than ever before,” said Army Col. Bruce McPeak, director of materiel systems development at the Combined Arms Support Command. “The fastest growing requirement on the battlefield today is electric power.”

Part of the problem is that energy demands on the front lines are growing quickly and technology can’t keep up. But military leaders also are beginning to reflect on how their own policies contribute to the dilemma.

(Excerpt) Read more at nationaldefensemagazine.org ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Technical
KEYWORDS: batteries; battlefield; energy; science; technology; ussoldiers
There is something called a Nuclear Accelerated Generator that every branch might use.Specifically, this mechanism has the potential to extract between 60% to 85% of the available energy from the electrons ejected from a beta-radiation-emitting isotope in a large-scale NAG system.It also uses nuclear waste. It is safe from gamma radiation. It uses include strontium-90 (Sr-90), nickle-63 (Ni-63), and promethium-147 (Pm-147). Among these materials, the latter is the most desirable. One reason for this, Weber stated, is that it decays into a stable element (inert promethium) within 30 years.A gram of strontium-90 can produce a 10,000 watts of power.
1 posted on 02/23/2012 5:59:46 PM PST by U-238
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: U-238

“Nuclear power is icky!” ~Peacecreeps and Treehuggers Local 214


2 posted on 02/23/2012 6:02:55 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet (You can't invade the US. There'd be a rifle behind every blade of grass.~Admiral Yamamoto)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

What do you think that powers their Playstation?


3 posted on 02/23/2012 6:04:37 PM PST by U-238
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

The patent has been filed for NAG for military use.


4 posted on 02/23/2012 6:06:31 PM PST by U-238
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: U-238

Solar power and wind turbines, naturally.


5 posted on 02/23/2012 6:12:00 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet (You can't invade the US. There'd be a rifle behind every blade of grass.~Admiral Yamamoto)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: U-238

It’ll get real bad once Obama makes them drive Chevy Volts in theater.


6 posted on 02/23/2012 6:26:01 PM PST by roadcat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: U-238

All fine and good until a bullet holes it... or bomb shrapnel penetrates it.

I wonder how much extra weight would be needed to adequately shield it from penetration from most battlefield weaponry?


7 posted on 02/23/2012 6:34:13 PM PST by gogogodzilla (Live free or die!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

I always thought it was skittle-sh!tting unicorns ;-)


8 posted on 02/23/2012 6:36:11 PM PST by rockrr (Everything is different now...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: gogogodzilla

These are extremely well shielded. The DoD is considering this.


9 posted on 02/23/2012 6:43:08 PM PST by U-238
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: gogogodzilla

http://talkatomic.com/pdf/White%20Paper-nag.pdf


10 posted on 02/23/2012 6:43:50 PM PST by U-238
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: U-238

Why the hell would they choose to heat coffee and cook food WITH ELECTRICITY???

Heat coffee, cook food...WITH FIRE, YA NUTS! sheesh. You’re all in tents. save the electricity for AC.


11 posted on 02/23/2012 7:04:11 PM PST by mamelukesabre
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: mamelukesabre

Its the new armed forces.


12 posted on 02/23/2012 7:08:32 PM PST by U-238
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: mamelukesabre

They have washers and tumbler dryers in submarines and naval ships


13 posted on 02/23/2012 7:11:03 PM PST by U-238
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: U-238

Well, ships have nuclear reactors so they got electricity to spare. But ground troops in tents running generators so they can use a microwave oven is just stupid.


14 posted on 02/23/2012 7:26:39 PM PST by mamelukesabre
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: mamelukesabre

They soldiers have other things like flashlights,GPS, night vision,heaters.It get very cold out there in Afghanistan during the winter time. There is even snow on the ground. What about A/C in the summertime? All those need power.


15 posted on 02/23/2012 7:31:55 PM PST by U-238
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson