British Firms on Show at International Defence Exhibition
09th September 2003
DSEi, the influential tri-services defence exhibition opens its doors in London on the 9th September and on display will be a raft of world leading technologies developed by British companies. One such product is the advanced Lithium-ion batteries developed by British firm AEA Battery Systems.
AEA's batteries, which combine high performance Lithium-ion cells with smart electronics and are designed specifically to withstand extreme conditions and the rigours of military applications, have been selected to power BOWMAN, the UK MoD's battlefield communications system. This multi-million pound contract to provide batteries, chargers and advice, represents the largest deployment of Lithium-ion power in a military application to date.
At the exhibition AEA will be unveiling a brand new portable power solution for the global defence market, as well as showcasing its range of light weight, enhanced portable power products.
According to a recent report*, the UK is the second largest global supplier of defence equipment after the US, with over 20% of the worldwide market and providing 345,0000 jobs in Britain. Including its specialist cell manufacturing Joint Venture Company, AGM BatteriesLtd, AEA Battery Systems employs 183 people in the UK between sites in Thurso, Caithness, Glengarnock, Glasgow and Culham, Oxfordshire.
Rechargeable Lithium-ion batteries, based on Lithium-ion materials technology, originally patented by AEA, are used extensively throughout the world, providing power for hundreds of millions of mobile phones and laptops around the world. AEA Battery Systems' advanced Lithium-ion batteries themselves are even making their way to Mars, providing the power for the UK Mars Express and Beagle 2 lander.
DESi will be held at ExCeL, the exhibition venue in London's Docklands. For more information visit www.dsei.co.uk.
* SOURCE: Defence Equipment Market Report (2002), Key Note Publications Ltd
--Ends--
Further Information
For more information about AEA Battery Systems please contact:
Benedict Payne/Adrian Chitty, Good Relations, 020 7861 3030,
Catriona Watson, AEA Battery Systems, 07968 707 657,
Notes to Editors
AEA's batteries are already widely used by armed forces both in the UK and abroad. The company was recently appointed sole supplier of batteries and chargers, and advisor to the UK MoD's BOWMAN project.
The BOWMAN range and a new cell to be unveiled at DSEI, are part of AEA Battery System's ongoing development of the next generation of portable power solutions for today's military.
With research into new materials, shapes, sizes and cell chemistries, AEA is leading the development of the portable power systems demanded by the next generation of military hardware.
This includes technology being developed for application in current soldier modernisation programmes such as the Land Warrior and the FIST programmes in the US and the UK respectively.
AEA Battery Systems
AEA Battery Systems is a world-leading battery technology supplier. AEA's reputation derives from the Lithium-ion materials technology, which it originally patented. The company researches, designs, develops and manufactures advanced cells and battery packs for highly demanding markets including defence, aerospace, marine and medical. It has a specialist cell manufacturing Joint Venture Company, AGM Batteries Ltd, which uses the manufacturing and materials expertise of its partners - Japan Storage Battery Co., Ltd and Mitsubishi Materials Corporation to produce world leading products. The company employs 183 people in the UK between sites in Thurso, Glengarnock and Culham.
AEA Battery Systems is a wholly owned subsidiary of AEA Technology plc. AEA Technology plc has core businesses in environment and rail and a portfolio of development businesses to which AEA Battery Systems belongs.
Most recent articles
- ABSL Selected to Supply Infrared Calibration System for SLSTR - 30th July 2008
- ABSL Power Solutions wins best technology award at Soldier Technology 2008 - 26th June 2008
- ABSL Selected to Supply Lithium-ion Battery for GMES Sentinel 1 - 18th June 2008
- ABSL To Conduct Astronaut Spacesuit Battery Program in Colorado - 20th May 2008
- ABSL Lithium-ion Batteries Enable European GPS Satellite Mission To Be Extended - 15th April 2008
