This paper discusses key design features and the wide reach of FNC applications. The military aerospace environment is a demanding environment for power sources.
Fast charge is of greatest value as it improves equipment readiness and reduces spares requirements.
Reliability and predictability is a must. In the last few years competitive costs and simplified logistics have been added as an essential reality of reduced military budgets and increased competition in the commercial aviation industry. Until the last five years, stringent requirements on power sources translated to the employment of flooded cell batteries. Such batteries, though capable of high power, require routine maintenance. They also present reliability problems due to potential spillage of highly corrosive battery electrolyte.