Following the awards in the Fiscal Year 2006 and 2007 Defense Bills, the federal government has executed a $5 million contract with Firefly Energy to fund prototype development of its 3D and 3D2 advanced battery technologies. Specifically, the U.S. Army will assess Firefly Energy's carbon-graphite foam prototype batteries in a "Silent Watch" program, which allows the military to perform reconnaissance in ground combat vehicles without being detected by the enemy.
The goal of the Silent Watch program is to have enough electricity stored in a vehicle, so that it can run on silently for anywhere from 4 hr to 72 hr, while providing continuous power to operate equipment without rapidly degrading the life span for the battery, and leaving enough battery power to re-start the vehicle.