Energy security

Raytheon UK reveals new man-portable auxiliary power unit

Raytheon UK has unveiled a new man-portable auxiliary power unit (APU), which is geared for use on vehicles and by special forces troops on the ground.

The lightweight Portable Power Generator (PPG) was briefed to journalists at the company's Integrated Power Solutions (IPS) business site in Glenrothes, Scotland, on 25 May, a day ahead of its official unveiling at the Special Operations Forces Industry Conference (SOFIC) in Florida.

As noted by David Gordon, technical lead for the IPS division, the 10-12 kg (excluding fuel) PPG is the only APU available on the market today in a man-portable configuration, with others weighing more than 60 kg and needing to be transported by vehicle or trolley. The systems measures 500 mm in height by 450 mm in width and is 210 mm in depth.

A 2 kW technical demonstrator of the PPG is currently being built at Glenrothes, which will be capable of providing 12 hours of power depending on the operating environment (it has a temperature range of operation of between -32 and +50 degrees Centigrade). Raytheon UK will also be evaluating options for different loads, and expects to provide up to 5 kW to produce a regulated 28 V DC.