Iris Technology is moving forward with the Power HIVE mission power node, a man-portable system aimed at the energy management challenge facing dismounted and expeditionary troops. The platform, whose name stands for Hub for Integrated Versatile Energy, is being optimized to work with Ultralife’s high-capacity UBI-2590 UBBL13-01 battery while still accepting other batteries in the BB-2590 family. The announcement was issued on May 18, 2026 from the company’s base in Irvine, California.
Modern small units carry a heavier and more diverse electronics load than ever. Radios, UAV controllers, counter-UAS systems, sensors, computers, and networking equipment all draw from the same finite battery supply, leaving operators to juggle charging, voltage, and runtime in the middle of a mission. According to the two companies, the Power HIVE was created to address that issue by adding regulation, distribution, and visibility on top of the batteries already in service, rather than introducing another unfamiliar piece of kit.
Closing the Power Gap at the Tactical Edge
The partnership is built around two pieces that are meant to complement each other. The UBI-2590 delivers 288Wh of energy with flexible 15V and 30V operation, SMBus communication for battery data, rugged military construction, and built-in state-of-charge visibility. The Power HIVE then combines multiple BB-2590 class batteries into one regulated mission power node that produces reliable 28V output, supports simultaneous load and charging, allows hot-swapping of cells without dropping power, and provides real-time telemetry on the full stack. The result is a portable power architecture aimed at the distributed equipment that small teams now field, from UAV controllers to counter-UAS hardware.
That equipment list keeps growing. As manufacturers continue to release new smart UAV battery platforms and other energy-dense components, the need for a unifying mission power node grows along with it. Iris Technology says its goal with the Power HIVE is to reduce the number of separate chargers, regulators, and cable adapters that small teams have to manage, while still building on batteries soldiers already know how to handle in the field.
How the Power HIVE Pairs With the UBI-2590
Leadership at both firms framed the project as squeezing more capability out of a battery family already in widespread military use, rather than introducing an entirely new logistical category.
“Power HIVE is built around a simple idea: the BB-2590 should become more than a battery carried in a box. By optimizing Power HIVE around Ultralife’s high-capacity UBI-2590 while maintaining compatibility with other BB-2590 class batteries, we can give military users a smarter, regulated mission power node using a battery format they already understand and trust.” Mike Stein, Vice President, Tactical, Iris Technology
Ultralife emphasized the role of battery design itself in supporting that architecture, pointing to features built into the UBI-2590 such as flexible voltage handling and SMBus reporting. The press release notes that the Power HIVE design fits within Iris Technology’s broader portfolio of tactical power generation gear engineered for dismounted, vehicle, and remote operations.
“Ultralife’s UBI-2590 battery was designed for rugged military applications where energy density, flexible voltage, and reliable battery communication matter. Power HIVE gives us a practical way to show how high-capacity BB-2590 batteries can support broader tactical power architectures.” Mike Manna, President and CEO, Ultralife Corporation
Field Demonstrations and SOF Week 2026
According to the announcement, prototype Power HIVE units are already in test and evaluation, with the team collecting customer feedback around BB-2590 class mission power applications. Additional configurations are planned as part of a wider power management roadmap, though specific timelines were not detailed. The initial work is centered on hands-on demonstrations rather than catalog rollout, suggesting that user input from operators will help shape the final product configurations. By keeping the system anchored to a battery class that is already standard issue in many tactical units, the developers say they can simplify training and reduce friction for early adopters.
The Power HIVE will be on display at SOF Week 2026 in Tampa, Florida, where Iris Technology is hosting Booth 755 alongside the rest of its tactical power portfolio. SOF Week is one of the largest annual gatherings for special operations forces and the industry that supports them, and it gives both companies a venue to put the system in front of the user community it was designed for.
Iris Technology describes itself as a 40-year precision engineering firm focused on power, data, and control systems for the US military, SOCOM, and prime defense contractors. The company is CMMC Level 2 certified and AS9100D registered, and says its Iris Tactical products are fielded across Army, SOF, and NATO programs. Its product range spans everything from 1W dismounted gear up to 10kW vehicle-mounted equipment, with the Power HIVE positioned in the man-portable segment.
