A Networked Unit of Employment Command Element Designed for Efficient Battery Charging

A Unit of Employment (UE) is the senior Army headquarters deployed to a theater. UE Command Element is responsible for all ground combat operations in the theater. Rapid deployment of ground combat units depends on the effective management of all resources available during early entry in a theater including electrical resources. Electrical power consumers on the future battlefield include complex command posts, vehicles, sensors, communication systems, and decision-making networks that rely on reliable mobile and portable sources of power and energy. With a need to reduce the Army logistics burden, shipping more power devices or fuel are not feasible options. The Army desires a solution replenishing high performance batteries as far forward as possible. Since nearly every C2 system requires electrical power in increasing levels of demand, new technologies and concepts are required to provide command and control systems with adequate electrical power. The challenge is in reducing consumption and providing for efficient distribution of electrical power at all echelons in the Battlespace. This concept is an effort to provide network centric management and information technology to the power sources within the brigade area, as a tactical power grid. This program will provide the commander an information technology backbone within the UE to make better management decisions for power and energy resources including battery charging. The outcome of this concept will improve deployability, reduce the power required to sustain operations, reduce the cost of operations and allow the commander to manage the capability of his unit while engaged in Network Centric Warfare.