Revolutionary approach to energy distribution will benefit military supply chain and reduce dependence on fuel
ARLINGTON, Va., Dec. 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon, an RTX (NYSE:RTX) business, has received a $10 million contract from DARPA to design and develop a wireless airborne relay system to deliver energy into contested environments.
The Persistent Optical Wireless Energy Relay program, known as POWER, aims to revolutionize energy distribution by leveraging power beaming for near-instantaneous energy transport in a resilient, multi-path network.
Under the two-year contract, Raytheon will create an airborne relay design to enable "webs" capable of harvesting, transmitting and redirecting optical beams. These "webs" will transmit energy from ground sources to high altitude for the precision, long-range operation of unmanned systems, sensors and effectors. Harvesting energy will ultimately reduce the military's dependence on fuel as well as its delivery and storage.
"Energy is essential in the modern ...