The Air Force Advanced Power Technology Office at Robins AFB, Ga., is working with Ohio-based Battelle on the use of a hydrogen fuel cell to power such things as bare base airfield lights and light carts, or anything that currently uses a portable diesel generator. A recent test showed that a hydrogen fuel cell would power halogen light units without producing harmful emissions or a foul odor and with little noise. The same equipment powered by a diesel generator produced toxic emissions, a powerful stench, and a lot of noise. However, hampering full use of the hydrogen fuel cell is a lack of synthetic fuel; instead Battelle says it will take another 18 months of development to reduce the sulfur created by using JP-8 jet fuel. Once that is done, the system will be ready for military use with readily available JP-8.
The Pentagon’s new counter-drone task force will play a direct role in arming Airmen with new weapons to defend Air Force agile combat employment, or ACE, air bases in austere locations against enemy drone attacks, the director of Joint Interagency Task Force 401 said Oct. 14.
