National Security Workforce: Issues and DoD Strategies

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Slide 14

Energy and Power Technologies

Speaker's notes explaining chart:

The general focus of the DoD on power and energy differs from commercial interests due to the relative power levels and mission durations. Military requirements tend to be at higher power levels for longer periods of time without resupply.

Technical hurdles can vary significantly from civilian to DoD requirements. For example large civilian fuel cell systems would likely be fueled by natural gas (less difficult) where large military tactical fuel cells would be fueled by logistics fuels (very difficult). Hybrid electric cars produced today use small 10-30KW electric drive systems that incorporate air cooling where military Hybrid electric drives for an FCS type vehicle could be 300-500KW with significantly more difficult cooling and technical issues.

Directed Energy Weapons and Vehicle Protection Systems will require extremely large very short duration electric pulses that have no equal in the commercial sector.

All electric warships will be required to move very large amounts of power to various points on the ship where commercial systems are designed to have the power necessary at each location required.