Rapid Assembly, Energy Efficient Composite Shelter

ABSTRACT: Shelters can be considered as the logistical backbone of military operations. Therefore the 500 CBSS / GBLE - AF Tactical Shelters/Radomes/Towers Program Office has determined a need to research the potential and feasibility of developing an improved shelter design that meets the needs of systems and users across the DoD. Every branch of the armed services has countless millions worth of such mission critical shelter equipment in various configurations. To meet this need, CSSI is maturing a composite shelter design with modular panels which can be quickly swapped to accommodate configuration, mission, and/or system changes. Custom panels, developed to meet Force Protection needs such as ballistics and extreme thermal environments, can be inserted in the snap-together composite frame. This"Rapid Assembly"design will reduce the time required during base construction. CSSI has developed a sound and innovative approach to manufacture and build a prototype for a baseline non-expandable 20 foot ISO shelter. Special emphasis is on achieving and ISO-stacking qualification test as well as superior energy efficiency in harsh global climates. The benefits of this new shelter asset would ripple through the entire inventory of DoD assets. BENEFIT: The government sector has a need for the shelter asset and once it is fully developed and certified it could be stock-listed. Given the lower price than the current aluminum container at less than half the weight, there would be an incentive for the government buyer to select this asset. Its flexibility and ruggedness would ripple through the DoD inventory. Since the shelter is virtually maintenance-free important life-cycle savings will result because of greatly reduced maintenance costs, and eco-advantages such no as need to paint, no need for paint strippers, or to fight corrosion. DoD would also benefit from reduce energy costs since the all composite shelters would exceed energy/thermal efficiency. The transportation industry has an immediate need for shelters/ ISO containers which are lightweight and fit the logistics requirements. The benefits which could accrue are estimated in the $70M/ year range. Longer term benefits would accrue from the maritime ISO-container sales.