St. Louis, MO – EaglePicher Technologies, a leading provider of battery power solutions, conducted the final program management review of the lithium-ion battery production for military applications (LIMA) project with the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Materials and Manufacturing Directorate (AFRL/RXME) to validate a domestic source of supply for lithium-ion batteries utilized in military weapon systems.
Lithium-ion technology is used in the development of rechargeable energy cells. The lithium-ion SLC-201 cells make lightweight batteries utilized in weapons and communication systems. This includes conformal wearable batteries that provide energy storage required to power soldiers’ communications, intelligence and surveillance in a thin flexible form.
“EaglePicher is now prepared to receive requests for lithium-ion SLC-201 cells from our newly expanded facility as part of the Title III project,” said Gordon Walker, chief executive officer at EaglePicher. “This project leveraged our ability to design and engineer the product as well as establish the manufacturing process needed for full production of the cells.”
The Defense Production Act (DPA) Title III team, along with a Department of Defense (DoD) integrated project team, worked with EaglePicher to execute the program. In the process, EaglePicher established its Lithium-Ion Center of Excellence, located in Joplin, Missouri. EaglePicher expanded the location by 100,000 square feet, 15,000 of which is dry room manufacturing space to support the Title III project.
The LIMA project was executed as part of the DPA Title III program which provides the President of the United States broad authority to ensure the timely availability of essential domestic industrial resources to support national defense and homeland security requirements through the use of highly tailored economic incentives. Specifically, the program is designed to create, maintain, protect, expand or restore domestic industrial base capabilities. EaglePicher entered the LIMA project with a reputation of being a reliable, innovative supplier to the DoD for many years.
The small-format pouch cell, SLC-201, production has successfully completed all military specification performance tests (L1-L12) and United Nations Department of Transportation (UN DOT) safety tests (L13-L18). EaglePicher has met all the technical requirements of the Technology Investment Agreement (TIA) with AFRL/RXME. EaglePicher is receiving orders of SLC-201 cells which will be used in portable power military applications.
“The completion of the TIA serves as evidence of EaglePicher’s commitment to excellence and to the growth of lithium-ion applications in support of our military,” said Walker.”
