HAAPS – HAAPS

Quick availability of electrical power is paramount and can make the difference between life and death.

VECTOR

The Vector: a highly autonomous, vertical take- off Unmanned Aerial System (UAS), capable of all-weather operation, and powered by a Hybrid-Electric drivetrain dimensioned to be a flying power station.

MISSION

The Vector’s mission is to provide theatre and force commanders with a capability to quickly deliver crucial energy without involving human lives and costly assets (air cargo).

POWER

The Vector is a tilt rotor aircraft capable of autonomous flight at 165 Knots to a zone within a 500 Nautical miles radius, subsequently land and become a 60 KW power generator during 8 hours(17 hours with auxiliary fuel tank), or a 20 to 30 KW wind generator.

DEPLOYMENT

The Vector is designed to fit in a standard shipping container for easy deployment andis able to reach its maximum operational radius in 3 hours by taking off from land or sea.

THE TYPICAL MISSION PROFILE

Starts whith Mission Planning (similar to that of MQ-1B, UAS), fuel loading and take off. The Vector flies to its destination using composite navigation system comprising TFR (Terrain Following Radar), Inertial, and GNSS navaids. Upon arrival on zone the Vector lands either autonomously or locally remote-controlled; Rotors are stopped, and the hybrid-electric powerplant can deliver 60 KW three-phase. The power is generated by a high-efficiency Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) capable of burning a broad range of NATO fuels available on theatres of operations, including Diesel, SAF, Jet fuel & biofuels. In another embodiment of the system, the onboard internal combustion engine is replaced by hydrogen fuel cells. In wind turbine mode, the UAS is erected on the top of a swivelling telescopic mast and each rotor drives its associated generators, producing a total of 30 KW at 12 m/sec wind, that is 10 KW more than Disaster Deployable Turbines (D3T) currently being studied by NREL and US DOD.

The fact that the drivetrains can work either as motors driving the rotors during flight, or as generators in windmilling configuration is due to the unique reversible capability of the Intelligent Electromagnetic Distributed Direct Drive (or I-EMD³ in short). Moreover, the Built-in battery bank allows for energy storage during off wind conditions and protects the internal combustion engine during transient current demands.

The proposed design uses to their best the advantages brought be EMD³ Hybrid-Electric architectures: highly efficient generators combined with an inherent resilience to electromagnetic and ballistic aggressions, conferring a markedtactical advantage on the modern battlefield.

The battlefield of the future will likely be dominated by weapons systems, platforms, and devices that require electrical energy

This type of battlefield, which has so far been purely oil-based from cradle to grave, to integrate energy management technologies, buffer storage resources, and a camp/weapon system interface in a constrained and contested tactical environment, needs a complete overhaul of its energy production and distribution.

This requires the implementation of a coherent and efficient energy network,from energy production systems at the operational level to soldiers at the tactical level, through all layers of distribution systems.
In parallel, the defense sector must begin its energy transition to contribute to the goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions and to anticipate the increasing costs of energy linked to the vulnerability of increasingly scarce and contested fossil fuel supplies.

This evolution poses major risks for military activities. The proliferation of low-carbon energy sources and the risk of more complex logistics represent an additional challenge for maneuvers. It is also an opportunity to meet the growing demand for future weapon systems, platforms and devices.

A deployable, independent and energy-efficient military camp, as part of a future electric battlefield, is the first step towards an integrated operational and tactical energy supply chain. It serves as a starting point, a hub for innovative electrical energy production and efficient distribution at all levels. This includes the initial definitions of the interface between the stationary (operational level) and mobile (tactical level) components of the electric battlefield.

With the role of military camps as an energy supplier having been highlighted, the scaling of its technological building blocks (energy production, storage and distribution) must be amplified while covering a wide range of operational scenarios.

Objective of HAAPS

The specific objective of HAAPS is to contribute to reducing the dependence on fossil fuels of military deployable camps (support and mobility) without loss of operational performance, in a context of increasing demand for electrical energy on the battlefield, and maintaining operational performance, while avoiding logistical and security constraints.

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