This is at a time when the F-35 Lightning II has already been termed the world’s most advanced fighter jet, primed for a significant upgrade in its cooling system.
Lockheed Martin will hold its first competition to replace the Power and Thermal Management Unit, an opportunity that can pit Honeywell Aerospace and Collins Aerospace in a battlefield of lucrative contracts.
The F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) confirmed that the award is due Fall 2024 under the PTMU program.
The JPO made it clear that they will work with Lockheed Martin to ensure all PTMU solution options are looked at from both performance and cost-effectiveness for bringing maximum capability to the warfighters while keeping expenses in check.
The cooling system is necessary for the aircraft to create a reduced heat signature that increases its stealth capabilities. Reduced heat signatures will make it even harder for enemy sensors to detect F-35.
This is going to be critical for F-35’s roles within modern combat. As they said, Lockheed Martin declared that they would consider all solution options to discern the best path forward in terms of capability and cost to meet future mission requirements for F-35.
The present supplier of the cooling system is Honeywell Aerospace, which has put forward its apprehensions over the timing of this changeover.
Matt Milas, president of Honeywell Defense and Space, said he doubted a new system was needed when Honeywell’s TR-3 software was already proving troublesome and it had problems with Block 4 upgrades.
In addition, Milas also mentioned that the F-35 program is so integrated that there is such an amount of risk posed to a small change in light of the current global security situation.
On the other hand, Collins Aerospace proposed a new architecture called Enhanced Power and Cooling System (EPACS).
The EPACS system aims to provide the amount of cooling needed to offset 80 kilowatts of heat generated by F-35 subsystems.
According to Henry Brooks, President, of Collins Aerospace Power and Controls, a new power and thermal management system is critical for not only the current performance of the jet but also for enabling future requirements well beyond Block 4.
The competition for PTMU is also coming at a time when the F-35 is seeing many major upgrades.
Lockheed Martin is introducing TR-3 software updates and Block 4, which will allow an F-35 to carry on board more of the latest weapon systems and provide better sensors.
The modular design of the F-35 allows such upgrades so that the aircraft stays at the top of its game in combat aviation. As the aerospace giants present their pitches, tension is running high.
The winner gets an extremely lucrative contract as well as a key position in shaping future F-35 Lightning II capabilities, making sure it is nothing less than a force to be reckoned with in the skies.