French defense technology company Naval Group has unveiled a new Li-ion batteries system which will provide its conventional submarines with improved operational capabilities, as well as an optimized immersion period and reloading time.
The system was developed in close technical partnership with the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) and in close cooperation between Saft, CEA Tech and EDF R&D.
Naval Group is the system provider and integrator, Saft was responsible for the conception and production of Li-ion batteries, CEA Tech provided Naval Group with its research capacities in the fields of chemistry, structure and electronics and, finally, EDF R&D provided its testing facilities for energy production systems requiring high levels of safety, reliability and security.
Naval Group says the system, named LIBRT, offers twice more available energy while reducing significantly the reloading time. In hostile environments, the submarine will therefore take advantage from an increased submerged operating range as well as from the capability to evade all kinds of naval threats.
“The successful development of the LIBRT Li-ion batteries systems is a huge technological stride for the new generation of submarines developed by Naval Group,” Alain Guillou, senior executive vice-president said. “It provides utmost security guarantees as well as operational and technological superiority to all our clients worldwide.”