RTX's Collins Aerospace EPACS power and thermal management system ready for aircraft integration
Collins Aerospace, an RTX business, has achieved a significant milestone in testing its Enhanced Power and Cooling System (EPACS), a next-generation power and thermal management system. The system, designed to replace the F-35's current PTMS, demonstrates more than double the cooling capacity of existing solutions.
Following the 2024 announcement of EPACS achieving 80 kilowatts of cooling capacity, the system has now reached Technology Readiness Level 6. Collins has invested heavily in thermal systems development labs to validate EPACS performance across various operational conditions, positioning it for the Engineering & Manufacturing Development phase once a competition is launched.
The technology's dual-use capability makes it suitable for both military applications, including sixth-generation fighters, and commercial aircraft, addressing the increasing cooling demands of modern aviation systems.
Collins Aerospace, un'azienda di RTX, ha raggiunto un traguardo significativo testando il suo Enhanced Power and Cooling System (EPACS), un sistema di gestione dell'energia e della termoregolazione di nuova generazione. Il sistema, progettato per sostituire l'attuale PTMS dell'F-35, dimostra di avere una capacità di raffreddamento superiore al doppio rispetto alle soluzioni esistenti.
Dopo l'annuncio del 2024 in cui EPACS ha raggiunto una capacità di raffreddamento di 80 kilowatt, il sistema ha ora raggiunto il Technology Readiness Level 6. Collins ha investito pesantemente nello sviluppo di laboratori per sistemi termici per convalidare le prestazioni di EPACS in diverse condizioni operative, preparandolo per la fase di Ingegneria e Sviluppo della Produzione non appena verrà lanciata una competizione.
La capacità di utilizzo duale della tecnologia la rende adatta sia ad applicazioni militari, inclusi i caccia di sesta generazione, sia ad aerei commerciali, affrontando le crescenti esigenze di raffreddamento dei moderni sistemi di aviazione.
Collins Aerospace, una empresa de RTX, ha alcanzado un hito significativo en las pruebas de su Enhanced Power and Cooling System (EPACS), un sistema de gestión de energía y térmica de próxima generación. El sistema, diseñado para reemplazar el actual PTMS del F-35, demuestra tener más del doble de la capacidad de refrigeración de las soluciones existentes.
Tras el anuncio de 2024 de que EPACS alcanzó 80 kilovatios de capacidad de refrigeración, el sistema ha alcanzado ahora el Technology Readiness Level 6. Collins ha invertido fuertemente en laboratorios de desarrollo de sistemas térmicos para validar el rendimiento de EPACS en diversas condiciones operativas, posicionándolo para la fase de Ingeniería y Desarrollo de Fabricación una vez que se lance una competencia.
La capacidad de uso dual de la tecnología la hace adecuada tanto para aplicaciones militares, incluidos los cazas de sexta generación, como para aviones comerciales, abordando las crecientes demandas de refrigeración de los modernos sistemas de aviación.
콜린스 에어로스페이스, RTX의 사업부는 차세대 전력 및 냉각 관리 시스템인 Enhanced Power and Cooling System (EPACS)의 테스트에서 중요한 이정표를 달성했습니다. 이 시스템은 F-35의 기존 PTMS를 대체하기 위해 설계되었으며, 기존 솔루션의 두 배 이상의 냉각 용량을 보여줍니다.
2024년 EPACS가 80킬로와트의 냉각 용량을 달성했다는 발표에 이어, 이 시스템은 현재 기술 준비 수준 6에 도달했습니다. 콜린스는 다양한 운영 조건에서 EPACS 성능을 검증하기 위해 열 시스템 개발 실험실에 대규모로 투자하여, 경쟁이 시작되면 엔지니어링 및 제조 개발 단계로 나아갈 준비를 하고 있습니다.
이 기술의 이중 용도 기능은 6세대 전투기를 포함한 군사 응용 프로그램과 상업용 항공기 모두에 적합하여 현대 항공 시스템의 증가하는 냉각 요구를 해결합니다.
Collins Aerospace, une entreprise de RTX, a atteint une étape importante dans les tests de son Enhanced Power and Cooling System (EPACS), un système de gestion de l'énergie et thermique de nouvelle génération. Le système, conçu pour remplacer le PTMS actuel du F-35, démontre une capacité de refroidissement plus de deux fois supérieure à celle des solutions existantes.
Suite à l'annonce de 2024 selon laquelle EPACS a atteint une capacité de refroidissement de 80 kilowatts, le système a maintenant atteint le Technology Readiness Level 6. Collins a investi massivement dans des laboratoires de développement de systèmes thermiques pour valider les performances d'EPACS dans diverses conditions opérationnelles, le positionnant pour la phase d'ingénierie et de développement de fabrication dès qu'une compétition sera lancée.
La capacité d'utilisation duale de la technologie la rend adaptée à la fois aux applications militaires, y compris les chasseurs de sixième génération, et aux avions commerciaux, répondant aux exigences croissantes en matière de refroidissement des systèmes d'aviation modernes.
Collins Aerospace, ein Unternehmen von RTX, hat einen bedeutenden Meilenstein bei der Erprobung seines Enhanced Power and Cooling System (EPACS), einem System zur Energie- und Wärmeverwaltung der nächsten Generation, erreicht. Das System, das entwickelt wurde, um das aktuelle PTMS des F-35 zu ersetzen, zeigt eine mehr als doppelt so hohe Kühlkapazität wie bestehende Lösungen.
Nach der Ankündigung im Jahr 2024, dass EPACS eine Kühlkapazität von 80 Kilowatt erreicht hat, hat das System nun Technology Readiness Level 6 erreicht. Collins hat stark in Entwicklungszentren für thermische Systeme investiert, um die Leistung von EPACS unter verschiedenen Betriebsbedingungen zu validieren und es für die Phase der Ingenieur- und Fertigungsentwicklung zu positionieren, sobald ein Wettbewerb gestartet wird.
Die Dual-Use-Fähigkeit der Technologie macht sie sowohl für militärische Anwendungen, einschließlich sechster Generation von Kampfflugzeugen, als auch für Verkehrsflugzeuge geeignet und deckt die steigenden Kühlbedürfnisse moderner Luftfahrtsysteme ab.
- Successfully tested next-gen PTMS with doubled cooling capacity
- Achieved Technology Readiness Level 6, ready for integration
- Potential market expansion to commercial aviation sector
- Strategic positioning for F-35 upgrade contract opportunity
- Competition for F-35 PTMS replacement not yet launched
- Significant investment required in development labs
Insights
RTX's Collins Aerospace has achieved a critical milestone with its Enhanced Power and Cooling System (EPACS), successfully testing a fully functional demonstrator that delivers double the cooling capacity of the current F-35 system. This technological advancement is strategically significant as it directly addresses a critical constraint in modern aircraft development - thermal management.
The system has reached Technology Readiness Level 6, the maturity threshold typically required before entering Engineering & Manufacturing Development phase. This positions Collins favorably for when Lockheed Martin launches the competition to replace the F-35's current power and thermal management system.
What makes EPACS particularly valuable is its dual-use potential. As both commercial and military aircraft incorporate increasingly power-hungry technologies, thermal management becomes a important bottleneck. Collins has strategically invested millions in specialized thermal systems development labs to validate EPACS across various environmental conditions.
This achievement represents more than just a product enhancement - it's a capability enabler for future F-35 upgrades and potentially other platforms. As modern aircraft essentially become flying supercomputers with advanced sensor suites, weapons systems, and electronics, the limiting factor increasingly becomes heat dissipation rather than physical space or power generation. Collins is positioning itself at this critical technological intersection.
This EPACS development represents a significant competitive positioning move by RTX in the high-value defense sustainment and upgrade market. The F-35 program, with its massive lifetime value and global footprint of over 970 aircraft delivered to date, creates substantial long-term revenue opportunities through system upgrades.
By proactively developing a solution for the F-35's anticipated cooling requirements, Collins has established a technical advantage before the formal competition has even begun. The thermal management challenge is particularly acute for the F-35 platform as it undergoes Block 4 modernization and subsequent upgrades, which will introduce more powerful computing systems and sensor packages.
The dual-use potential expands EPACS' market beyond just the F-35. Sixth-generation fighter programs across multiple nations and next-generation commercial aircraft will face similar thermal challenges. RTX is effectively creating a technological moat in an increasingly critical subsystem area.
From an investor perspective, this represents RTX's continued execution on its strategy to capture high-margin aftermarket and upgrade business across its installed base. The company's willingness to invest millions in specialized testing facilities demonstrates commitment to maintaining technological leadership in critical subsystems that enable platform capability growth. While not an immediate revenue driver, this positions RTX favorably for significant future contract opportunities as thermal management becomes an increasingly critical constraint in advanced aircraft design.
Technology will provide increased cooling to enable enhanced capabilities on F-35 and future defense and commercial aircraft
"As the F-35 is modernized with advanced weapons and mission equipment, increased cooling will be required to dissipate all the heat these new systems will generate," said Henry Brooks, president, Power & Controls for Collins Aerospace. "EPACS can deliver that cooling and with our successful demonstrator test, we stand ready to begin the integration process with Lockheed Martin and help service members meet their urgent mission requirements."
Collins has invested millions into state-of-the-art thermal systems development labs, allowing engineers to simulate relevant, real-world combat aircraft conditions. Using these labs, Collins validated the EPACS demonstrator's performance across a range of temperatures, pressures, air flow rates and humidities to achieve Technology Readiness Level 6. Most customers typically require this level of maturity for a new technology before entering the Engineering & Manufacturing Development phase, which would be the next step for EPACS, once a competition to replace the current F-35 PTMS has been launched and a winner has been selected.
In addition to F-35, as a dual-use technology, EPACS technologies could be applied to a range of future military and commercial aircraft, including sixth-generation fighters and passenger planes. Much like combat aircraft, passenger planes are incorporating newer, more power-hungry technologies that require more robust thermal management systems like EPACS.
About RTX
RTX is the world's largest aerospace and defense company. With more than 185,000 global employees, we push the limits of technology and science to redefine how we connect and protect our world. Through industry-leading businesses – Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, and Raytheon – we are advancing aviation, engineering integrated defense systems for operational success, and developing next-generation technology solutions and manufacturing to help global customers address their most critical challenges. The company, with 2024 sales of more than
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SOURCE RTX
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