RAPID DEPLOYMENT OF ELECTRIC POWER CABLES - NOVEL CONCEPT

MERADCOM IS REDUCING THE NUMBER OF GENERATORS IN THE FIELD; MANY MODERN WEAPONS DEPEND ON ELECTRICITY; THUS, A COMBAT MISSION'S SUCCESS MAY TURN ON THE ABILITY TO RAPIDLY DEPLOY ELECTRIC CABLES AND CONNECTORS. THE IMPORTANT DESCRIPTIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CONCEPT ARE RAPID, MOBILE, RELIABLE & FLEXIBLE (RMRF). THE HALLMARK OF THE SYSTEM IS ITS FLEXIBILITY. THE CONCEPT WOULD EMPLOY A PRECOILED CABLE STORED IN A COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER AND A LAUNCHING DEVICE TO PROPEL ONE END OF THE CABLE THROUGH THE AIR. THE CONCEPT ALSO RECOGNIZES THE NEED TO MINIMIZE THE VARIETY OF SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT IN THE FIELD AND WILL UTILIZE EXISTING COMBAT HARDWARE TO LAUNCH THE CABLE/CONNECTOR TOWARD ITS OBJECTIVE. IF HOWEVER, IN THE TURMOIL OF COMBAT, THE PRIMARY SYSTEM IS UNAVAILABLE, THE FLEXIBLE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO PERMIT THE USE OF ANY ONE OF SEVERAL SECONDARY DEPLOYMENT OPTIONS. THE CRITICAL, PHASE I, TECHNICAL ISSUES ARE: (1) TO ELIMINATE THE CABLE'S TENDENCY TO KINK BY PROPER COILING OR DEPLOYMENT METHODS (EXTERIOR BALLISTICS); (2) TO ESTABLISH THE OPTIMUM LAUNCHING DEVICE AND ADAPTOR KIT; (3) TO CONFIGURE THE COLLAPSIBLE PACKAGE. THE PI HAS PARTICIPATED IN SEVERAL RAPID DEPLOYMENT PROGRAMS.