Yesterday, you have read about the SWET or the Soldier's Water Estimation Tool (SWET), which is an app designed to help calculate just the right amount of water to carry for any mission or activity. Now, we write about eliminating water to heat MREs (Meals Ready To Eat) and relying on the Air Activated Heater to provide soldiers warm MREs while out there in the field.

Over the years, MREs heated with the  Flameless Ration Heaters which are water-activated exothermic chemical heaters. Soldiers fill up their the FRH polybag that is the heating container of the MREs to a certain level, then let the MRE heat up by placing it against a rock at a certain angle. In around 12 minutes, a hot meal is ready to be eaten. No need for a kitchen to prepare a hot meal.

Now, a new technology will be used to heat the MREs. Called the Air Activated Heater, a soldier needs to peel a layer of the MRE which allows air to enter the outer areas of the MRE. Using Zinc, it uses its exothermic oxidation reaction to air to heat up food according to Army specification of increasing the temperature of an eight ounce water pouch from 40 °F to 140 °F (+100 °F) in less than 12 minutes. The heating or cooking time can be controlled by adjusting the heater and air configuration.

(Air Activated Heater Concept from Natick Soldier RDEC. Click on the image for larger version)

What is the implication of the Air Activate Heater? It's simple. Water is a valuable commodity in the field and it's hard to waste water as soldiers will always face hydration issues while performing at the optimum level necessary to accomplish a mission. Eliminate the need for water in certain areas, then you conserve water and also lessen the water load without compromising the water needs of the mission. It also eliminates a step in the process of heating the MRE, that of pouring water into the polybag that surrounds the MRE. Just peel and wait for your food to get warm.

While this is intended as a technology for feeding troops, it is also seen to have commercial applications, such as licensing the technology to food technology companies that want to provide similar air activated heated food.  The food products can be intended for outdoors people, camping trips, and as food that can be dropped off in disaster areas where people need warm food and drinking water is scarce.