DoD orders advanced capacitors to aid in nonlethal force protection, vehicle checkpoints
NewsJanuary 05, 2018
SAN DIEGO. General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) has won a contract from the Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Directorate (JNLWD) through the Department of Defense Ordnance Technology Consortium (DOTC) to develop and supply advanced high-energy-density capacitors intended for integration into a nonlethal Pre-Emplaced Vehicle Stopper (PEVS) system for use in force protection and vehicle checkpoint operations.
The PEVS system is a parked, nonintrusive device designed to safely stop vehicles; when a vehicle rolls over a set of contacts, the PEVS system delivers a short, intense electrical pulse to disable the vehicle’s electrical components without harming the vehicle's passengers.
High-energy-density capacitors, such as the ones to be developed for the JNLWD project, are used in applications requiring many rapid charge/discharge cycles rather than long-term compact energy storage.
Nick Bucci, vice president of Missile Defense and Space systems at GA-EMS, said of the contract win: “The PEVS system has the potential to support multiple missions and be mobile as operations change, making a compact footprint a critical requirement. We’re employing advanced capacitor technologies and manufacturing techniques to develop significantly higher energy density capacitors that will provide reliable, pulsed-power output in a small, easy to transport package.”
