Collins Aerospace completed altitude testing of a new power and cooling system proposed as a replacement for the F-35’s current equipment.
Collins Aerospace has completed altitude testing of its Enhanced Power and Cooling System (EPACS), a proposed replacement for the power and thermal management system currently used on the F-35 fighter.
The system was operated for several days at different simulated altitudes and power levels intended to reproduce mission demands.
Collins said engineers pushed EPACS to its operating limits to measure performance and assess whether it could provide emergency electrical power under flight conditions.
EPACS is designed to generate electrical power, cool onboard electronics, and provide emergency power.
These functions are currently handled by separate systems aboard the F-35.
The aircraft will require additional cooling as new sensors, electronic warfare equipment, computers, and weapons are integrated.
Previous Testing
Collins said EPACS could provide more than twice the cooling capacity of the F-35’s current system.
The company continues to develop EPACS primarily for the F-35, although parts of the technology could also be adapted for future military and commercial aircraft with higher power and cooling requirements.
The system met the technical requirements for aircraft integration in 2025. That milestone followed ground testing announced in 2024, when EPACS demonstrated 80 kilowatts of cooling capacity.
Collins began developing EPACS after the US Government Accountability Office recommended replacing existing F-35 equipment that was operating beyond its design limits and increasing the program’s lifecycle costs.
