High pulse power batteries for air deployable Navy applications

The US Navy needs a high-power battery for an advanced sonobuoy. Several chemistries and designs have been examined and reported upon. The main focus at this point is on thermal batteries and lithium/sulfur dioxide (Li/SO/sub 2/) batteries. Other chemistries have been evaluated (e.g. lithium/manganese dioxide and lithium/thionyl chloride), however only lithium/sulfur dioxide and thermals have the combination of high power, energy, and low cost (producibility) that is required.