Heaters and ECU's

The Heaters and ECU's program, outlined in Line Item 0100MF9000 of the Army's FY2026 budget, focuses on the procurement and fielding of Improved Environmental Control Units (IECUs). These advanced air conditioning and heating systems provide critical environmental control for Army tents, shelters, and mobile facilities. The program aims to ensure that Army personnel and sensitive electronic equipment have reliable climate control in various operational environments, supporting mission readiness and equipment longevity.

Improved Environmental Control Units (IECUs) are engineered to deliver both cooling and supplemental heating, with system capacities ranging from 9,000 to 60,000 BTU/hour. Powered by standard electrical currents, these units are compatible with mobile power systems and commercial facilities. The program emphasizes dehumidification and air filtration, which are essential for protecting environmentally sensitive electronic equipment in mobile shelters and command posts. IECUs also support medical facilities, expeditionary basing, logistics operations, and a variety of mobile weapon systems.

A major justification for the IECU program is compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements to eliminate the use of Class II Ozone Depleting Chemicals (ODCs). The new generation of IECUs uses environmentally approved refrigerants with zero ODCs, replacing legacy Military Standard ECUs. This transition is necessary to meet environmental regulations and to ensure continued supportability as older refrigerants become unavailable. Additionally, the IECUs are designed to be more rugged, operate across a wider temperature range, and incorporate embedded diagnostics and automatic safety controls for improved reliability and maintainability.

The FY2026 procurement plan includes the acquisition of IECUs to support both base and operational requirements. Funding will cover first article production assets, additional delivery orders, and ongoing technical and logistics support documentation under a 10-year Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract. The program also supports engineering, testing, system fielding, and logistics support to ensure successful deployment and sustainment of the units. The procurement strategy includes contracts with manufacturers, with production lead times and delivery schedules tailored to meet Army Acquisition Objectives for various unit sizes.

Distribution of IECUs is prioritized to address shortages, replace aging or non-repairable assets, and support new fielding of high-priority weapon systems. The units are essential for maintaining operational capability in command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems, which require stable environmental conditions for optimal performance. IECUs are also deployed in combat support hospitals and brigade support battalions, where they are vital for life-saving operations and the storage of perishable supplies.

In addition to supporting the active Army, the program provides IECUs to the Army National Guard and Army Reserve, ensuring that all components have access to modern, EPA-compliant environmental control capabilities. This supports combat operations, homeland defense missions, domestic emergency responses, and military support to civil authorities, as mandated by Section 1815 of the FY 2008 National Defense Authorization Act.