AMSC Announces U.S. Navy's Intention to Order High Temperature Superconductor Equipment

AMSC

, a global solutions provider serving the wind and power grid industry, today announced that the U.S. Navy created a sole source solicitation notice for AMSC's high temperature superconductor (HTS) equipment. The contract is expected after April 28, 2015. Additionally, AMSC has established a relationship with the Navy to develop HTS power cable hardware for ship board power applications. For the past several years, AMSC and the Navy have collaborated on AMSC's advanced HTS degaussing system. The core components of the degaussing system are transferable to other applications being targeted for ship implementation. AMSC is continuing its work to expand HTS technology into the fleet through a variety of applications for power, propulsion, and protection equipment. AMSC refers to its HTS-based products for the Navy as "Ship Protection Systems." AMSC's Ship Protection Systems, such as degaussing systems, reduce the magnetic signature of a ship, which can interfere with undersea mines' ability to detect and damage the ship. AMSC has worked with the U.S. Navy to develop and qualify a lighter weight, more power efficient HTS version of this degaussing system. HTS is an enabling technology for advanced degaussing systems on platforms with weight and power limitations. These systems require significantly less power to operate and can reduce the overall degaussing system weight by 50-70%. AMSC has been working jointly with the Navy Metal Working Center of Excellence to optimize manufacturing costs associated with HTS degaussing cables. During the course of this Manufacturing Technology (ManTech) program, the cable making process has been streamlined and is expected to meet the delivery and cost targets associated with full ship production. The manufacturing infrastructure developed under the ManTech program has been transitioned to AMSC's Devens facility. "AMSC has worked extensively with the U.S. Navy to develop prototypes of the HTS advanced degaussing systems on surface platforms. AMSC's HTS systems have now traveled close to 75,000 miles and compiled over 20,000 hours of run time on U.S. Navy vessels," said Daniel P. McGahn, President and CEO, AMSC. "Combined with the manufacturing advances gained through the ManTech program, we believe AMSC is capable of delivering HTS systems to the U.S. Navy." The success of an HTS degaussing program has potential for other applications such as ship board power transmission using similar equipment. AMSC has recently received a contract from the U.S. Navy Office of Naval Research to develop power cable hardware in direct support of that effort.