Battery Developer Receives Defense Contract

May 23, 2007
Saft has been awarded a contract for $1.4 million to improve the existing battery system for the SEAL Delivery Vehicle.

Saft has been awarded a contract for $1.4 million to improve the existing battery system for the SEAL Delivery Vehicle (SDV). The United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) and the Crane Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC Crane) selected Saft’s lithium-ion (Li-ion) technology in a full and open competition to replace the current silver-zinc (AgZn) battery system over two years ago. Saft then developed a Li-ion prototype to replace the AgZn battery, and this sole-source contract improves that prototype to production baseline.

SEAL Delivery Vehicles are underwater submersibles that transport NAVY SEALs and their equipment on long-distance missions. The SDVs take the SEALs from an offshore point to a point closer to shore where the SEALs will evacuate the vehicle and swim to land. During some missions, SEALs will remain in the SDVs for the duration of the mission.

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