U.S. Army Ground Vehicles Systems Center Taps Calnetix Technologies to Develop High-Frequency Inverters for Future Ground Combat Vehicles

CERRITOS, Calif. – July 28, 2021 – Calnetix Technologies’ Defense and Aerospace Division has been selected by the United States Army Ground Vehicles Systems Center (GVSC) for the design and development of a 500-kW bi-directional inverter. The high-frequency and power-dense inverter will be demonstrated in the medium-sized Robotic Combat Vehicles (RCV-M) and Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV) variants as a part of the Platform Electrification and Mobility (PEM) effort.

Calnetix’s proposed solution was selected based on the company’s extensive experience with existing wide-band-gap silicon carbide (SiC) two-level inverters with voltages up to 4,160 volts and power levels exceeding 1 megawatt. By leveraging this existing architecture and control scheme, Calnetix will design the 500-kW PEM inverter to meet the requirements specified by the U.S. Army.

“As the world shifts toward higher efficiency and green solutions, Calnetix has shifted with it by leveraging emerging wide-band-gap technologies, such as SiC switches in its power management systems,” said Vatche Artinian, CEO of Calnetix Technologies. “The PEM inverter will provide high-temperature operation and power density, high system efficiency of up to 98.5 percent, and unmatched power levels and durability for the harsh environments of the U.S. Army’s Ground Vehicle Systems.”

Calnetix’s PEM inverters, using SiC metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) technology, will drive traction motors and pair with hybrid electric generators to provide mobility and on-board electrical power to ground combat vehicles, enabling a step-change in vehicle performance and operability. The company will deliver a number of inverters during the multi-year technology development phase.

About Calnetix Technologies

Calnetix Technologies, LLC (“Calnetix”), headquartered in Cerritos, Calif., is focused on Innovation That Drives Industries®. The company specializes in high-performance, high-speed motor generators and best-in-class advanced magnetic bearings and control systems. Calnetix’s patented, underlying technologies, which have been in use since the company’s inception in 1998, have made Calnetix a world leader in the design and production of high-speed machines. The company’s overall technology portfolio and system integration capabilities have led to development and production contracts with industry leaders and the start of many successful subsidiaries that focus on unique niche markets.