Connecticut-based LiquidPiston has started the development of an ultra-compact auxiliary power unit (APU) for US Army mobile command posts under a small business innovation contract.
The CATALYST award, valued at up to $15 million, supports the service’s push to swap bulky towed generators for lighter systems that meet rising power demands and reduce battlefield risk.
LiquidPiston’s design centers on a vehicle-mounted, 10-kilowatt APU that is modeled after its proprietary portable generator platform and powered by the firm’s basketball-sized, 25-horsepower XTS-210 “X-Engine” rotary engine.
The machine meets Pentagon portable power standards while cutting the size and weight of the army’s existing 10-kilowatt Advanced Medium Mobile Power Source generator by about 75 percent.
Power Sources for Evolving Missions
LiquidPiston’s CATALYST project with the US Army builds on several Department of Defense contracts previously awarded to the company.
These include a $9-million contract from the Army Research Laboratory last November to develop an efficient rotary engine, and an $8.3-million award from the army’s C5ISR Center for a lightweight, high-efficiency generator.
More recently, LiquidPiston secured a $35-million US Air Force deal to advance hybrid power system technology.
“We’re very proud and excited to … power systems platforms in support of the US [Department of Defense’s] initiatives to provide operational energy to our warfighters who need to be constantly on the move in contested logistics environments,” said Alec Shkolnik, co-founder and CEO of LiquidPiston.
Launched in 2022, the CATALYST program funds small businesses developing technologies with clear transition paths.
Companies that meet initial milestones may qualify for Phase II Enhancement awards, which can draw matching funds from the US Army and industry partners, bringing total award potential to $15 million or more.
