UTC Aerospace continues development of UUV power system

CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 15 (UPI) -- UTC Aerospace Systems is to continue its work for the U.S. Navy on the design and development of a power system for a long-endurance unmanned undersea vehicle.

The power system, a Proton Exchange Membrane-based fuel cell, would be for a UUV that is 21 inches in diameter.

In its previous work for the Office of Naval Research's Long Endurance Undersea Vehicle Propulsion energy program, the system being developed by UTC operated for more than 30 hours using an integrated cryogenic reactant system and fuel cell power plant.

UTC said the system provided 42 kWh of energy over a power range of 100 to 3800 watts.

"The fuel cell hardware design selected for the LEUVP program is identical to that being used for our qualified fuel cell power module on the Spanish Navy's S-80 submarine," said G. Allen Flynt, general manager, Space Systems, UTC Aerospace Systems. "With this heritage we feel that we are well-placed with our partners to deliver a proven option to ONR and the U.S. Navy on this program."

No details were provided as to the value and length of the contract.