Modern military operations are increasingly reliant on sophisticated electronic devices, yet this technological advantage introduces significant power management challenges for warfighters. The proliferation of diverse gadgets, each demanding unique battery types, has led to an excessive battery burden for soldiers in the field. This article explores the critical need for standardized and efficient power solutions, highlighting how innovations like the Xentris Dual Charger and the STUB (Small Tactical Universal Battery) series are revolutionizing tactical power, enhancing operational effectiveness and reducing logistical complexities.
The Escalating Power Demands of Tactical Electronics
For dismounted warfighters, mission success hinges on a suite of electronic devices, from communication systems and GPS to night vision and targeting equipment. Historically, each of these devices required specialized batteries, forcing soldiers to carry a heavy load of spares – often between 20 to 40 lbs – just to sustain a 72-hour operation. This cumbersome battery burden, contributing to an overall operational load exceeding 100 lbs, severely impacts physical agility, cognitive function, and ultimately, mission readiness and lethality.
The U.S. Army’s modernization initiatives have further amplified these power challenges. As next-generation tactical electronics become more power-intensive, the demand for battery power continues to surge. Data from the Army’s C5ISR Center underscores this escalating trend, revealing a clear need for innovative power solutions to keep pace with technological advancements in the field.
While the integration of powered rail systems for weapons, as seen in the Next-Generation Squad Weapon (NGSW) program, signals a move towards common power sources, the legacy of device-specific batteries persists. Several factors have contributed to this fragmentation of power sources:
- Varied Output Voltages: Tactical devices operate across a wide voltage range (3.3-21V), necessitating batteries tailored to specific voltage requirements based on cell chemistry and configuration.
- Diverse Form Factors: Energy demands dictate battery size and cell count, leading to a variety of shapes and weights influenced by ergonomic considerations and device integration.
- Incompatible Connection Interfaces: Many military batteries, despite similar size and capacity, lack interchangeability due to differing electrical and mechanical connections.
- Limited COTS Compatibility: Traditional military equipment has not prioritized interoperability with Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) devices, and must adhere to stricter robustness standards.
Recognizing the human factors implications, the C5ISR team conducted studies from 2018-2019 to define key design criteria for portable tactical batteries. These criteria emphasized:
- Common Interface: A standardized connection for interoperability across devices.
- Consistent 2D Cross-Section: Maintaining a uniform footprint for ease of integration and handling.
- Scalable 3D Capacity: Allowing for capacity adjustments by varying the battery’s third dimension.
Crucially, the studies highlighted that the absence of a common battery voltage presented an even greater barrier to interoperability than form factor or interface inconsistencies.
The Vision: Standardized Tactical Batteries and Universal Charging Solutions
The path forward lies in battery standardization – developing a family of interoperable batteries with adaptive power delivery and a universal connection interface. This approach promises to alleviate the battery burden on soldiers, enhance operational capabilities, streamline logistics, and reduce overall program costs. Leveraging commercial technologies and components is integral to achieving economies of scale and cost-effectiveness through standardization.
USB Standards: A Foundation for Tactical Power Revolution
The evolution of USB protocols, spearheaded by the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF), has been instrumental in transforming consumer and business technology. From standardizing peripheral connections for PCs in 1996 to enabling the mobile revolution, USB technology has consistently pushed the boundaries of connectivity and power delivery.
Now, mobile USB technologies are extending their transformative influence into the tactical domain. The increasing reliance on mobile solutions like the Nett Warrior system, utilizing secure COTS devices and applications like ATAK, underscores the growing importance of mobile power in military operations.
However, the benefits of mobile tactical devices have come with increased power demands and logistical complexity. The Army’s Conformal Wearable Battery (CWB), introduced in 2008, was an initial attempt to address wearable power needs. Yet, as Figure 2 illustrates, the CWB’s capacity soon became insufficient for the escalating power requirements of modern warfighters.
Xentris Wireless, drawing on its extensive experience in the commercial mobile device industry, recognized these parallel challenges and applied its expertise to develop innovative power solutions for the military. The key lies in leveraging advancements in USB technologies, particularly USB Power Delivery (PD) and Programmable Power Supply (PPS).
USB PD 3.0, introduced in 2019, dramatically increased charging capabilities up to 100 watts. Beyond raw power, efficient power management and delivery are crucial for faster charging and reduced energy loss. USB PD with PPS facilitates continuous communication between the charger and device, optimizing voltage and current delivery for maximum efficiency. This intelligent charging process minimizes heat generation, extending battery lifespan and reducing thermal signatures – a critical advantage in tactical scenarios. Furthermore, USB PD enables bidirectional power flow, allowing devices to charge batteries and vice versa simultaneously.
Xentris Wireless was a pioneer in adopting USB PD, becoming the first mobile device company to achieve certification for a USB PD device, recognizing the transformative potential of adaptive fast-charging solutions. Addressing the voltage diversity challenge in tactical devices, Xentris developed versatile, high-capacity fast-charging solutions compatible with devices ranging from 5V smartphones to 20V laptops, and even 14V radios, all through USB PD and PPS.
The final piece of the puzzle was the USB Type-C (USB-C) connector. This reversible, universal connector consolidates power, data, video, and audio transmission, offering a significant leap in capability and user-friendliness. Reversibility simplifies cable connections, especially beneficial in demanding military applications.
Introducing the STUB Series: A New Era of Tactical Battery Interoperability
Born from the need for standardized tactical power, the Small Tactical Universal Battery (STUB) program was launched in July 2020. Xentris Wireless’s EXO Charge division collaborated with a C5ISR team to develop the STUB series, designed to support diverse power requirements across various tactical devices using a common interface.
The STUB series eliminates the need for device-specific batteries, enabling soldiers to interchange STUBs between devices like radios, GPS systems, night vision devices, and more.
Offering eight different size/capacity options and versatile attachment methods, all with a standardized connection interface, the STUB series delivers unprecedented interoperability and operational flexibility. These rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery packs range from 1-cell to 8-cell configurations, with capacities of 3.5Ah or 7Ah. Featuring USB PD and PPS interfaces, the STUB series supports multi-voltage power delivery through its reversible USB-C connector, with output voltages of 5V, 9V, 12V, 15V, and 20V via PD, and 3.3V and 11V via PPS.
STUB batteries are charged via the USB PD interface using a USB Type-C cable and any USB PD compliant charger, representing a significant step towards universal charging solutions in the field. Adapters for standard Army chargers (ABC & UBC) are also under development, ensuring backward compatibility and streamlined charging logistics. The STUB series also incorporates a user-friendly ‘double-tap’ feature, displaying battery State-of-Charge via LED indicators and activating a Power Transfer function for battery-to-battery charging via USB-C. This inherent capability for battery sharing in the field further enhances operational resilience and reduces reliance on specialized charging equipment, implicitly highlighting the “dual charger” functionality embedded within the STUB ecosystem – the ability to both charge and be charged, and even transfer charge between units.
The STUB series has achieved USB-IF certification and is undergoing MIL-PRF qualification, having already passed MIL-STD-810H, MIL-STD-461G, UN 38.3, and IP68 standards. This rigorous testing and certification process underscores the STUB family’s reliability and readiness as the next-generation mission-ready power source for tactical electronics.
EXO Charge: Powering the Future Warfighter
The EXO Charge division of Xentris Wireless is dedicated to developing rugged power solutions for military applications, leveraging commercial technology advancements. Comprised of industry and military veterans with extensive experience in both commercial mobile power and military programs, including the Conformal Wearable Battery (CWB), Soldier Worn Integrated Power Equipment System (SWIPES), and Squad Power Manager (SPM), EXO Charge is at the forefront of the dismounted warfighter power revolution.
EXO Charge is committed to providing mission-ready solutions that address the evolving power needs of the modern military. Visit EXOcharge.com to explore their innovative power solutions and learn more about how they are powering the future warfighter.
