Alliant eyes new battery for underwater vehicles

Alliant/Valence LLC, a unit of Alliant Techsystems in Minneapolis, is developing lithium ion polymer batteries for U.S. Navy underwater vehicles under a $5.9 million agreement with the commercial Operations and Support Savings Initiative of the Defense Department Dual Use Applications Program. Alliant/Valence engineers will use the lithium ion polymer batteries to replace zinc-silver oxide batteries now in use in Navy underwater vehicles such as the MK-30 target, MK-8 Seal Delivery Vehicle, and the Advanced Seal Delivery System. Work centers on testing to qualify the battery for Navy vehicles - J.K.