Having read and experienced quite a bit of electric mobility and battery technology I have a couple of question regarding the problem of energy consumptions. As jcustis has put it:

Quote Originally Posted by jcustis View Post
A two-pronged problem we face in carried loads is centered on the almost unquenchable appetite for battery power. In the first prong we have increased a patrol's carried load for force protection purposes with the addition of body-worn counter-IED devices. In the second prong we have not been disciplined enough to curb our demand for tactical information, which in turn drives up the weight penalty due to the suites of communication equipment carried.

We have created this vicious circle of demanding unrealistic reporting of reams of information, and it drives dismounted operations to carry ridiculous quantities of batteries to support 24-hour radio usage.

It goes back to uneducated, ill-informed tactical planning by folks inclined to carry the kitchen sink as insurance against all threats, rather than conduct a smart analysis of requirements and the tactical risks involved.

1) From what I understand most 'future combat systems' introduce and spread new capabilities which consume additional energy. Far more tactical information with additional elements like tablets/smartphones as well as additional battery-powered things like thermal scopes. From my humble point of view it seems that at the current state those projects should increase the battery load considerably, especially for longer missions. Any ideas on that?

2) The energy densities for batteries increased over the last two decades at about 7-10% per year with prices coming down even sharper. This positive trend offers high incentives to replace the batteries of various systems at a rather rapid pace. Is this happening?

3) The demand for energy comes from many different, isolated system with many different batteries. The latter increases considerably the load compared to a few standardized ones for obvious reasons. How far are we down that route?

I have another couple of points on my mind, for example recharging, but will leave it there for now.

I'm pretty sure that in decades if not centuries to come that aspect of the combat load, just as the overall one, will be a big topic. Technological advances offer opportunities to lighten it but add true and perceived needs which still will have to be handled properly with good leadership and METT-TC in mind.