FA8650-19-S-2005-Q&As.pdf

Questions on FA8650-19-S-2005 BAA

Subject – Current battery technology SOTA; specific and volumetric energy densities

1) The “Description of Work” provides an objective of “a factor of improvement of three on the specific and volumetric energy density of state-of-the-art high power density batteries”. Is it possible to provide more definitive numeric values for the specific and volumetric energy density goals in Wh/kg and Wh/L (or equivalent)?

a) Answer: It is up to the offeror to determine the state-of-the-art for high power density batteries in terms of specific and volumetric energy densities for this type of application.

2) What do you consider as the current battery technology?

a) Answer: Current battery technology are the very high rate batteries provided by battery manufacturers for applications such as Le Mans and Formula 1 race vehicles as well as for experimental/developmental directed energy weapons efforts.

3) What is the benchmark, what are the baseline performance parameters for a threefold improvement?

a) Answer: It is up to the offeror to determine baseline performance parameters for a threefold improvement.

4) Does the program have a baseline spec that they consider “existing high performance state of the art batteries used to power directed energy weapons?

a) Answer: The program does not have a baseline spec, however the performance of racing car Formula 1 batteries can be considered state of the art.

5) When you look for a 3x power density over existing high performance batteries, do you have an energy storage chemistry or product in mind as the baseline?

a) Answer: It is up to the offeror to determine what is the state-of-the-art baseline, in terms of specific power and volumetric energy density, for high power density batteries that can be used to power directed energy weapons. An example of high power density batteries are those used in Formula 1 race cars.

6) Will energy density improvement at the system level be considered?

a) Answer: Yes, energy density improvement at the system level will be considered.

Subject – High discharge rate and duty cycle

1) Please provide any information available on the anticipated “high rate” discharge rate required and duty cycle of the laser weapon system.

a) Answer: The battery is to provide power for up to 30 seconds for before being recharged with the recharge rate to be parametrically determined.

2) Are there representative load profiles? How many shots should be supported (i.e. magazine depth)?

a) Answer: The typical load profiles have been for a 30 second discharge before a recharge of the battery is needed. The duty cycle is to be determined parametrically.

3) In the 100 kW to 1 MW scalable size range, are there any other requirements to consider with respect to duration, rate, or temperature?

a) Answer: For this unclassified exploratory development effort, it is up to the offeror to determine what other requirements are considered to be important parameters.

Subject - Conformable

1) What do you mean by the word conformable? Conformal may refer to a scalable sized battery/batteries or conformable could also reference a shaped battery to fit a specific space claim, where threefold improvement could come from filling the space claim.

a) Answer: Conformable means the battery is to be able to shaped to fit an, to be determined, area within the laser pod.

2) What is meant by the term conformable in this context? (if it must be conformable to the pod/housing shape, is there an approximate radius of curvature?)

a) Answer: The term conformable for this program is that the battery will be able to fit in the space allotted within the pod. The actual dimensional constraints will be determined as a part of the program.

3) Are there any form factor constraints or objectives?

a) Answer: There are not, presently, any form factor constraints or objectives.

Subject - Safety

1) What type of safety testing and requirements are anticipated?

a) Answer: It is up to the offeror to determine the safety testing to show that propagation of a cell failure does not occur. Full safety qualification testing such as safety of flight testing, S9310, etc., is not envisioned for this development effort.

Subject - Charger

1) Tasks 3 and 4 in the Statement of Objectives include a battery charger function to be integrated with the battery system. Please provide any information available on the required charging rate / charging time to permit proper sizing of the charger for the intended application. Is the charger weight and volume to be included in the specific and volumetric energy density objectives?

a) Answer: The charging rate/ charging time is to be parametrically determined with the actual parameters to be determined during the program. The charger weight and volume are a part of the battery system and will be included in the specific and volumetric energy determinations.

Subject – Thermal management

1) Is the battery thermal management system expected to be independent from or integrated with the laser or aircraft thermal management system?

a) Answer: It is up to the offeror to decide what kind of battery thermal management system to propose. The battery thermal management system design and pod integration is a part of the development program.

2) Are heaters allowed for the battery?

a) Answer: It is up to the offeror whether or not to use an internal heating system.

Subject – TRL level

1) What is the desired TRL after the 3 year technical effort?

a) Answer: The desired TRL is 5/6 after the 3 year technical effort.

Subject – Power level

1) Is the 100kW to 1MW power level for the laser output or the battery bus?

a) Answer: The 100kW to 1MW power level is from the battery bus.

Subject – Bus voltage

1) What are the output voltage bus requirements and what are the characteristics of the power source available for the charger?

a) Answer: The output voltage bus requirements are for 270 Vdc. The characteristics of the power source available for the charger are to be determined parametrically.

Subject - Environmental

1) What are the altitude and temperature operating ranges?

a) Answer: The altitude and temperature operating ranges are what to be expected for a pod attached to a flying military aircraft.

Subject - Deliverables

1) On sheet 3 the BAA, section 3.c "it states that hardware deliverable or prototype is not anticipated or required." In the background and description of work, attachment 3, it notes that modules are to be developed and tested under simulated operational conditions to verify performance. Safety development/qualification of new cells alone is a significant venture.

Can you clarify the intent any further?

a) Answer: While a hardware deliverable is not required to propose, the modules/battery do need to be made and tested to verify their safety/performance.

All other provisions of BAA FA8650-19-S-2005 remain unchanged.