David J. Barton
The Office of Naval Research has awarded Lockheed Martin a $3 million contract to design, develop, and integrate fuel cells and solar power for military applications, according to a company statement.
Under the 32-month development program, Lockheed Martin will deliver a JP-8 compatible Fuel Efficient Power Node for the U.S. Marines.
Dan Heller, vice president of new ventures for Lockheed Martin Mission Systems & Sensors, said the program will increase the safety of troops and reduce operational cost.
According to Lockheed, the lesser operational cost will be a result of the new power sources efficiency, a big improvement on the over 100,000 diesel powered generators that the military currently uses.
The program aims to reduce overall usage of tactical electrical generation by at least 50 percent.
Lockheed will be working with TMI, a Cleveland-based firm, to mature the fuel cell technology.
