NATICK, Mass. -- The Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center, or NSRDEC, is revamping the Expeditionary TRICON Kitchen System, or ETKS, with energy-efficient appliances.
The goal of the appliance conversion is a 50-percent reduction in energy usage, all while maintaining the quality and functionality of the current high-performance appliances.
The ETKS was developed by Product Manager Force Sustainment Systems' Force Provider team to meet the needs of Soldiers deployed to remote locations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The container-based kitchen provides Soldiers with an all-electric kitchen, equipped with commercial appliances and capable of feeding three meals a day to 150 to 300 Soldiers.
"It's absolutely important for us to meet the capability that we have currently," said Joe Quigley, the project engineer and operations research analyst in NSRDEC's Combat Feeding Directorate, or CFD. "The top priorities are that it's reliable, maintainable, efficient, and that it enables Soldiers to accomplish their mission. So we want to meet the current level of capability but reduce the energy usage associated with whatever meal is being prepared. We want to use less energy and maintain quality of life."
The ETKS, with its new appliances, is currently undergoing joint testing by CFD and PM-FSS. A demonstration is planned for October 2014 at the Base Camp Integration Laboratory, Fort Devens. Another demonstration is planned for June 2015, as part of the Technology Enabled Capability Demonstration 4a -- Sustainability and Logistics-Basing.
"We are going to be doing a lot of testing using operational rations," Quigley said. "It's important because we want the laboratory environment to reflect the operational environment, so part of our testing regimen will involve preparing the same meals Soldiers will prepare in an operational environment, which will allow us to verify the performance and capacity of our prototype appliance suite. So, we basically want to make sure that regardless of the meal being prepared, Soldiers will have the right equipment to prepare the meal and do so in a reasonable amount of time."
The new, more energy-efficient appliance choices have been made possible by the Rapid Innovation Fund Broad Agency Announcement program, or RIF BAA. The RIF supports innovative science and technology solutions to challenging problems.
"RIF BAA has enabled us to do some really good work," said Quigley.
The appliance technology is being developed by Advanced Mechanical Technology, Inc., or AMTI, under NSRDEC direction.
Same stove, different kitchen
CFD/PM-FSS joint testing of the new ETKS appliances is part of an ongoing collaborative modular appliance development program. One of the aims of the program is to develop a suite of appliances that can be integrated into any Army field kitchen.
"Uniformity makes life easier," said Quigley. "Basically, the idea behind a modular appliance is that you can use the same appliances in different field kitchens. Right now, there are a lot of different field kitchens out there with very specific parts that you can't interchange. We want to get it to the point where we can use the same ovens, skillets, cabinets, drawers, etc., and make them standard across all platforms. The number of appliances can then be increased or decreased, depending on the required capacity of the kitchen."
Quigley believes that the uniformity of appliances in different kitchens will benefit the warfighter.
"Soldiers could train in one kitchen, and then step into another kitchen that uses this suite of appliances -- and it would be the same appliances they've always used," Quigley said. "Ultimately, they won't have to learn multiple systems. Furthermore, there will be fewer national stock numbers that the Army will need to store, which reduces life-cycle costs associated with Army field kitchens.
"I really enjoy knowing that I am developing something that will make it into the hands of the Soldier and that they'll benefit from that."
NSRDEC is part of the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM), which has the mission to develop technology and engineering solutions for America's Soldiers.
RDECOM is a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Materiel Command. AMC is the Army's premier provider of materiel readiness -- technology, acquisition support, materiel development, logistics power projection, and sustainment -- to the total force, across the spectrum of joint military operations. If a Soldier shoots it, drives it, flies it, wears it, eats it or communicates with it, AMC provides it.
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Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center
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