Saft Awarded Contract To Provide Li-Ion Battery For High-Energy Laser Program

Saft announced that it won a contract with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) to provide a megawatt-class Li-ion battery system to power a high-energy laser application.

GA-ASI was awarded a multi-million dollar contract from DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Project Agency) to develop a demonstration laser weapons system, which seeks to create a 150-kilowatt, solid-state laser weapon weighing less than one ton. The first and largest portable 150 kW laser of its kind, the system will be supported by Saft's advanced Li-ion battery technology, capable of delivering high-level power and energy.

Saft's battery system consists of a number of very high-power cells to support the program's laser. The underlying technology is particularly innovative because it involves a highly powered, yet compact, battery that also features a complete electronics management system. Delivery is slated to begin in June 2012.