RTX’s Collins Aerospace has completed altitude testing of its Enhanced Power and Cooling System (EPACS), a new power and thermal management system being developed for the F-35. The testing checked whether the system can provide the cooling and emergency power needed under demanding flight conditions.
EPACS is designed to give the F-35 more cooling capacity as new technologies and upgrades are added to the aircraft. Collins Aerospace says the system is intended to provide extra thermal capacity throughout the F-35’s service life.
The system was developed to address a growing challenge in modern fighter aircraft. New sensors, electronics and other onboard systems generate additional heat, making effective cooling and power management increasingly important.
READ ALSO: https://modernmechanics24.com/post/aethero-star-catcher-orbital-ai-power/
During altitude testing, EPACS operated for several days at power levels designed to represent real mission demands. Engineers tested the system at different altitudes and pushed it toward its operating limits to collect performance data.
The tests also checked whether EPACS could provide the expected emergency power during operation. The results will be used to validate performance models and reduce development risks before further integration work.
Ira Grimmett, vice president of Environmental & Airframe Control Systems for Power & Controls at Collins Aerospace, said successful altitude testing confirms the system’s performance in conditions that closely represent actual flight. The company says the milestone increases confidence in EPACS as development continues.
The latest test follows a 2025 milestone in which Collins Aerospace announced that EPACS had met requirements for aircraft integration. However, altitude testing is only one stage of the development process, and the system still needs to progress through additional testing and integration before wider use.
WATCH ALSO: https://modernmechanics24.com/post/us-army-46m-autonomous-cargo-drone/
The EPACS development could help the F-35 handle future technology upgrades without running into the same power and cooling limits. More thermal capacity can be important as fighter aircraft add increasingly powerful electronics and mission systems.
One Response