The military is constantly on the lookout for devices that can provide power to troops on the battlefield without weighing them down or creating a logistical nightmare.
Now a generator aimed at military and emergency response vehicles has been proven to produce up to 1,000 amps of power while the engine is running at a low-RPM level. And it comes in the size of a conventional alternator, rather than a component that is so large it has to be towed behind a vehicle.
ITT Corp. unveiled its CRUX (an acronym that stands for create, regulate, utilize, eXport) generator in September at the Defense and Security Equipment International trade show in London. A month before, it was used during a demonstration at the U.S. Marine Corps Experimental Forward Operating Base (ExFOB) tests in Twentynine Palms, Calif. The marines put the system through a series of tests in desert conditions. For four days, the generator ran continually for up to eight hours and consistently supplied high-power output while using less than a single tank of fuel, ITT officials said.
“The integration of the CRUX generator into military vehicles will allow for more available power for mission-critical equipment such as counter-improvised explosive device-systems, communication systems and weapon systems that keep our war fighters safe,” said Ron Gordon, vice president and general manager of ITT Power Solutions. “The successful testing at ExFOB brings us one step closer to getting more power to our troops.”