According to the latest news from BCB International, a unique waterproof fuel used by British soldiers to heat their rations (and more importantly, their tea!) is set to spark things up at EUROSATORY next week.

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) have awarded a four year contract to the UK-based survival equipment specialists, BCB International Ltd (Hall 6 G798), for the supply of a new operational ration cooker and fuel. BCB’s ‘FireDragon’ fuel is an innovative solid biofuel made from ethanol.  According to BCB’s Managing Director, Andrew Howell:  “Wherever they operate, whether in driving rain, the freezing arctic or searing heat, this fuel will enable soldiers to safely and effectively heat their rations whenever required.”

The contract marks a move away from hexamine fuel which the British Army supplied to troops for over forty years for cooking in the field. Hexamine was a potentially dangerous and outdated substance.

BCB’s Managing Director, Andrew Howell, explained that the fuel had to meet the UK MoD’s robust and rigorous requirements: “The UK MoD were looking for a solution that amongst other things was lightweight, could boil 500ml of water in under 11 minutes, was easy to light and extinguish, burned cleanly and is easily transportable. Our solution which includes a new folding cooker and a fuel pack weighs less than 300g and the FireDragon fuel will boil 500ml of water in under 8 minutes.”

Mr. Howell confirmed that other Armed Forces that currently issue their soldiers with Hexamine are taking a close look at BCB’s FireDragon fuel: “More and more Armies are taking a long hard look at the drawbacks of Hexamine and a second look at the benefits of FireDragon. The ‘FireDragon’ fuel is good news for their troops. It will enable their soldiers to cook their ready to eat meals with a safer and cleaner fuel. Our fuel is non-toxic, non-drip and made from 100% natural ingredients, including sustainably sourced ethanol. FireDragon is patented worldwide. It burns cleanly and leaves very little residue; thereby allowing soldiers to spend less time on cleaning their cooking equipment and more time on their vital operational roles. The fuel can be packed with rations which will help reduce transport costs.”

For more info, visit BCB International’s website:  www.bcbin.com