LiquidPiston awarded $8.3M contract for U.S. Army generators

Engine technology and hybrid power systems provider LiquidPiston, Inc. announced it has been awarded an $8.3 million contract by Parsons Corporation to integrate its recently launched rotary X-Engine, the XTS-210, into a lightweight, compact 10-kW generator set for field testing by the U.S. Army.

The generator set (left) will be about a quarter the size and weight of the currently fielded Advanced Medium Mobile Power Source (AMMPS) generator system. (Photo: LiquidPiston)

The generator set will be approximately a quarter the size and weight of the currently fielded Advanced Medium Mobile Power Source (AMMPS) generator system currently fielded by the Army. The gen-set will leverage LiquidPiston’s High Efficiency Hybrid Thermodynamic Cycle (HEHC) and compact, heavy-fueled rotary engine, which the company said will allow the gen-set to be 75% lighter and have a footprint of just 9 cu. ft. of space, allowing for easy portability by personnel rather than equipment. It is also targeted to use up to 8% less fuel than the AMMPS.

“Imagine the possibilities that are created when soldiers no longer have to haul a massive and inefficient generator on a towed trailer. This generator can have a revolutionary impact on the lives – and the mission success – of our armed forces,” said Dr. Alec Shkolnik, co-founder and CEO of LiquidPiston. “This award demonstrates a deep commitment by the Army to help LiquidPiston develop an ultra-light and portable power generation system, first for military applications and later for a range of commercial applications in the over $4B global portable generator market.”

With its smaller footprint and inverter-type operation, the gen-set also offers the potential to replace multiple existing generator power classes with a single platform, LiquidPiston said, simplifying the Army’s gen-set procurement and logistics.

The compact, lightweight gen-set with rotary X-Engine will allow for easy transport by personnel vs. using a trailer or other equipment. (Photo: LiquidPiston)

“For our troops to successfully operate around the world, having a reliable, lightweight power source is imperative,” said Col. Kathy M. Brown, project manager, Expeditionary Energy & Sustainment Systems, U.S. Army. “By significantly reducing the challenges of delivering essential power to our personnel, often operating in remote or contested terrain, this new capability will help improve military effectiveness and protect American lives.”

LiquidPiston’s award supports an existing $14.9 million Other Transaction Award (OTA) prime contract for U.S. Army Expeditionary Intelligent Tactical and Expeditionary Power that was awarded to Polaris Alpha Advanced Systems, a Parsons Company, by the Department of Defense Ordnance Technology Consortium (DOTC) in 2022. Through this contract, Polaris Alpha Advanced Systems is providing research and development to deliver reliable, adaptable and reconfigurable power that meets extended power needs for the growing number of tactical electronic devices utilized in increasingly complex and remote battlegrounds, the company reported.