ABSL Power Solutions - Lithium-Ion Batteries and Advanced Power Solutions

ABSL Power Solutions Limited (ABSL) (formerly AEA Technology Battery Systems Limited) was incorporated in October 2005 following a change in ownership.

Under the new ownership ABSL will develop the business by improving and enhancing the products and services we offer our customers; investing in R&D, new technologies and products; and investing in the development of new target markets.

INTELLIGENT RECHARGEABLE LITHIUM ION BATTERIES

ABSL designs, develops and manufactures integrated portable power systems for markets where performance and reliability are critical. ABSL combines intelligent rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, with innovative charging solutions, power management architecture, mission planning and asset management tools. ABSL focuses on delivering power technology to meet the increasing demands of the digital battlefield within vital weight and cost constraints.

ABSL's experience encompasses the provision of power solutions for dismounted soldier systems, tactical communications systems, autonomous vehicle programmes, satellites and launch vehicles, as well as some marine and aerospace applications. The company supplies portable power systems to General Dynamics for the UK MoD's Bowman communications system and the Dutch Marines' New Integrated Marines Communications and Information System (NIMCIS) and it also supports the UK MoD's Future Integrated Soldier Technology (FIST) programme assessment phase trials.

TOTAL POWER SUPPLY FOR DISMOUNTED SOLDIER SYSTEMS

The success of modern dismounted soldier systems depends to a large extent in achieving the optimum performance through integrating the power system as part of the whole system. ABSL adopts a holistic approach to providing portable power for soldier modernisation systems, which considers the power system within the wider terms of storage, consumption and supply.

Essentially for the dismounted soldier system, power storage addresses the challenge of providing improvements in lithium-ion cell and battery pack performance; power consumption addresses the management of power used by the soldier without compromising the soldier's capability; and power supply focuses on delivering optimisation and enhancements to the recharge-ability and flexibility of the power system.

ABSL also incorporates power management within the system to improve capability, flexibility and interoperability in the field. Power management features include hot-swap functionality, voltage conversion, comms signal processing, integrated GPS, external supply management, dynamic power efficiency. Alongside the provision of reliability and technical capability, ABSL considers the ergonomic and human factors to deliver real benefits to the dismounted soldier’s combat effectiveness.

TACTICAL COMMUNICATIONS POWER SUPPLIES

ABSL Power Solutions supplies power solutions to many of the world's leading tactical communication companies, working in partnership with its customers from the earliest design stage to ensure that the host equipment and power solution are optimised to provide the maximum operational performance. ABSL's power systems are rugged and reliable, built for the most demanding environments and include both primary and secondary batteries as well as associated modular and multi-chemistry chargers which are portable and flexible for ease of deployment on the battlefield.

BOWMAN PORTABLE POWER SYSTEMS

ABSL Power Solutions is sole supplier and advisor of portable power systems for the UK MoD's Bowman battlefield communications system, which was first introduced into service in March 04. The contract, awarded by Prime supplier General Dynamics UK, involves the supply of batteries and chargers for portable radios, handheld ruggedised laptop computers and encryption devices. Through working closely with the host equipment suppliers, ABSL has designed and developed a range of light weight, rugged and reliable, high performance rechargeable Lithium-ion batteries and corresponding multi-chemistry AC and DC chargers.