Design and evaluation of a sealed lead-acid aircraft battery

The author presents an overview of a 24 V, 15 Ah sealed lead-acid battery (SLAB) designed for installation in the F-16 aircraft. The major design features of the battery are described. Compared to the standard MIL-B-8565 configuration, this SLAB incorporates a number of design features that are expected to prolong its service life and allow tracking of its usage history. Preproduction prototypes were subjected to a rigorous qualification test program to demonstrate conformance to the design specifications. Analysis of the test results indicates that the battery can meet all specified mechanical, electrical, and environmental requirements.<<ETX>>