Scaling Next-Generation Battery Production by Over 2,000 Percent to Power Submarine Readiness

A targeted $20,000,000 investment is enabling Æsir Technologies Inc to expand production of large-format Nickel-Zinc battery cells that can support future submarine energy needs. The effort increases near-term production capacity from 6 cells per month to 125 cells per month, while positioning the company to reach a later target of 1,100 cells per month. For submarine construction and maintenance, that added capacity creates a practical path to reduce reliance on legacy lead-acid battery technology, improve lifecycle performance, and strengthen the industrial base behind critical undersea readiness.

The Problem & Opportunity

Current lead-acid energy storage technology used on submarines cannot supportadditionalcapabilities without sacrificing service life andimpactingoperational availability. The sealed-valve-regulated lead-acid (SVRLA) batteries also carry significant maintenance and replacement costs due to limited cycle life and a lack of replacement flexibility when individual cells, modules, or trays fail. Nickel-Zinc battery technology offers a path forward —higher energy density, longer life, and a more environmentally sustainable profile—but production capacity atÆsirTechnologies was limited to just 6 cells per month, far below the volume needed to support the Navy's defense requirements. The opportunity was to invest in a significant expansion ofNiZnmanufacturing capacity to make this technologyviableat the scale the submarine fleet demands.

Objective

ExpandÆsirTechnologies' production capabilities for theNiZn1,100 Ah cell to a rate of 125 cells per month, including qualifying the cell for production on new equipment, to address the increasing demand for large-formatNiZnbatteries essential to submarine programs.

Solution

The investment is focused on one core constraint: moving large-format Nickel-Zinc battery production from limited output to qualified, higher-volume manufacturing.

Aesir Technologies Inc is expanding production of the Nickel-Zinc 1,100 Ah cell from 6 cells per month to 125 cells per month, while qualifying the cell on new production equipment. That qualification step is critical because the Navy requires not only more battery capacity, but production processes capable of delivering that capacity consistently.

The work also strengthens battery optionality for submarine construction and maintenance. By scaling a high-energy-density, long-life Nickel-Zinc alternative, Aesir Technologies Inc is helping reduce dependence on lead-acid systems that can drive maintenance burden, replacement cost, and operational availability risk.

About BlueForge Alliance

BlueForge Alliance (BFA) is the national nonprofit, neutral integrator whose mission is to reinvigorate the U.S. defense industrial base necessary to produce next generation capabilities in partnership with the U.S. Navy and Department of Defense. BFA is a critical partner in the U.S. Navy Submarine Industrial Base’s mission to ensure industry has the capability, capacity, and resilience to build and maintain America’s next generation of undersea platforms and to support international commitments under the AUKUS partnership. The organization’s team of experts in a variety of disciplines focus on addressing critical workforce, technology, and supplier development needs. BFA is headquartered in Bryan/College Station, Texas. For more information, visit www.BlueForgeAlliance.us.