For Want of a Battery

For want of a nail, the shoe was lost.

For want of a shoe, the horse was lost.

For want of a horse, the rider was lost.

For want of a rider, the message was lost.

For want of a message, the battle was lost.

For want of a battle, the kingdom was lost.

And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.

Benjamin Franklin quoted this old proverb in his ‘Poor Richard's Almanac’ in 1758 to illustrate the importance of being vigilant about small things that can lead to big problems. Now, we’ve come a very long way since the 1700's, but this message remains very relevant.

Today’s tactical electronics deliver capabilities that enable forces to outmatch their opponents in mastering time, distance, and terrain – but only if they have power. In today's terms, 'the want of a nail’ becomes 'the want of a battery'.

As the illustration below shows, this constant need for power has also put an increasingly heavy burden of spare batteries on the Warfighter - and has also led to increased logistical cost, complexity, and vulnerability due to the need for multiple different types of batteries.?

There are of course valid technical reasons why devices need different batteries. Firstly, devices operate at different voltages – ranging from 3.3-21V. Secondly, the operational need for improved capabilities was often more a more urgent matter than standardizing batteries. Thirdly, military batteries need to meet much more rigorous performance, endurance, ruggedness, and safety specifications than standard civilian alternatives.?

But, as the US Army began to consider numerous Soldier modernization initiatives in recent years the issue of battery interoperability was raised again. However, there are several factors that have traditionally hindered military battery standardization and interoperability:

Lack of Common Form Factor

• The device’s required energy drives the number and type of cells used in a battery – which determines the battery’s size and weight, and influences its shape

Lack of Common Operating Voltage

• Cell chemistry, internal cell configuration, and device power requirements are all factors that determine a battery’s output voltage range.

Lack of Common Connection Interface

• Several commonly used military batteries are similar in size, weight, and energy capacity but are not interchangeable as they have different electrical and mechanical connections

Lack of Interoperability with COTS Devices

• Military equipment is often not compatible or interoperable with commercial off the shelf devices, nor do they leverage the latest proven commercial standards and technologies for cost and logistics improvements

As the graphic below illustrates, efforts are now focused on creating standardized families of batteries for small form factor electronic devices that will overcome these traditional limitations - as well as increase interoperability to deliver greater operational effectiveness.

At the forefront of these battery modernization efforts is the Small Tactical Universal Battery (STUB) series. The STUB series has been designed from the outset to address the limitations listed above. Created as a family of eight different sizes with energy capacities of 15W to 80W that automatically adjust to different output voltages as needed, the STUB series enables leaders to adapt their battery load to the mission-specific power needs – thereby helping to reduce the Warfighter’s battery burden.

The STUB series incorporates the latest USB Power Delivery (USB PD) and Programmable Power Supply (PPS) protocols for fast charging capability – as well as reversible, bi-directional, multi-voltage power transmission through the built-in USB-C connector and external battery contacts – for maximum performance and flexibility. And with the inclusion of a common mechanical and electrical interface providing multiple ways to attach the battery to a device, the STUB series is a truly flexible power solution for a wide range of applications.?

For added practicality and user-friendliness, each STUB model incorporates a unique ‘double-tap’ feature that enables to user to check the battery’s State-of-Charge via LED indicators on the top of the battery. This double-tap feature also activates the built-in Power Transfer feature that enables a STUB to transfer its energy to another STUB through a USB-C cable.

In today’s dynamic multi-domain operational environments, power has become as critical as food, water, and ammunition as forces seek to master time, distance, and terrain. Today's Warfighters need to be able to see, comprehend, decide, and act precisely and quickly. They also want to ensure that battles won’t be lost for want of a battery.??

Featuring the latest USB technologies - and delivering unequaled levels of interoperability, commonality, flexibility, and standardization - the STUB series is the ideal mission-ready power solution for next generation tactical electronic systems and devices.?