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MS. BOHAN Hi. Welcome to the AMC News Dispatch. I'm Melissa Bohan of the Public and Congressional Affairs Office.
Some of us tend to purchase what we're familiar with even if there's a better product on the market.
Such is the case with Army units who continue to buy the BA-5590 disposable batteries for use
in their communication systems such as SINCGARS radios.
The Army Materiel Command’s Communications-Electronics, Research, Development and Engineering Center
wants Army units to know that the newer BA-5390 is also available and is more reliable and has more capacity
than the other battery that Soldiers are buying.
Although the newer BA-5390 disposable battery costs and weighs a bit more than
the other battery it has 60 percent more capacity.
This means that Soldiers will actually carry less batteries,
and thus less weight, to conduct their missions and in turn save more money.
SFC SCHEIDT The biggest difference between the 5590s and the 5390s actually is how long the batteries last and the weight comparison.
When we're looking at how long the batteries last we're looking at the 5390
that actually is about 60 percent longer than the 5590s.
The 5590 has been in the Army system for about, at least, 20 years.
It's been in longer than I've been in the Army, and everybody knows that battery.
The problem is we have the 5390 that has come out. It's a better battery. It lasts longer.
But most of the Soldiers don't know about it.
What they do when they go to the supply room they say, hey, I need new batteries for my equipment.
I've got my communication equipment, my radio needs more batteries, and what do we do. We always go with what we know.
These batteries are used typically for most communication pieces of equipment. Most radios use them, the SINCGARS radio,
the Harris radios, and the Harris 150s and the Harris 117s. We also use them in a lot of the robots.
Some of our ground sensors use them.
So the Army has approximately 60 different pieces of equipment out there that use these batteries.
This is a three-day supply of 5590s compared to a three-day supply of 5390s.
5590s you take six batteries compared to the 5390s you only take three to go out on a three-day mission.
And this one is considerably heavier.
The 5390 offers a capacity indicator on the battery itself, which the 5590 did not offer us.
So as a radio operator I don't just chuck the battery after I've used it for a little bit. I actually know how much time I have left.
MS. BOHAN In addition to the improved disposable battery there is also an improved rechargeable battery available.
The newer BB2590s have 70 percent more capacity and weigh .7 pounds less than the BB390s
that many units tend to purchase now.
For more information on these and other power sources be sure to visit the CERDEC Army Power Division’s website at
www.cerdec.army.mil/c2d/armypower.
Well, that about does it for this edition of the AMC News Dispatch. And don't forget to visit the AMC website at www.amc.army.mil
and click on the news and information link for the latest items of interest about the command.
Thanks so much for watching. We hope to see you next time.
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