| Providing high-temperature superconductor wires for electric power, transportation, medical and industrial processing applications, as well as advanced power electronic systems, American Superconductor Corp. (AMSC), USA, has recently been awarded a contract by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop ultra-high performance second generation (2G) high-temperature superconductor wires. These wires will be used for advanced military applications, including electronic warfare and electric weapons systems. The ultra-high performance wire will be based on the application of novel materials science technologies using AMSC nanotechnology-enabled 2G high-temperature superconductor wire as a platform.
�AMSC� has achieved world-leading electrical performance in continuously processed lengths of 2G HTS wire by high-volume, low-cost manufacturing techniques,� commented Dr. Greg Yurek, American Superconductor�s chief executive officer. �This new contract will be focused on utilising our 2G HTS wire platform to introduce additional low-cost manufacturing methodologies that significantly boost the electrical performance of the wire�, Dr Yurek added. American Superconductor Corp. is being funded as part of DARPA�s superconducting hybrid power programme, which aims to develop very efficient cryogenic power systems that could offer up to an order of magnitude lower volume and weight than conventional ambient temperature power electronics, with better efficiency.
DARPA is the central research and development organisation for the US Department of Defense. The Agency manages and directs basic and applied research and development projects and pursues research and technology where the risk and pay-off are both very high and where success may provide dramatic advances for traditional military roles and missions. �We are very excited to begin this programme. Success on this programme will bring a direct and immediate benefit to our initiatives to develop advanced electric weapons platforms and systems�, commented Dr. Stuart Wolf, DARPA programme manager. Collaborating with AMSC on this programme under separate contracts, are the Naval Research Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Los Alamos National Laboratory. Each of these laboratories brings materials science expertise and specialised characterisation tools that will supplement the capabilities at American Superconductor Corp.
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