Collins Aerospace, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business, successfully completed altitude testing of its next generation Power and Thermal Management System (PTMS), the Enhanced Power and Cooling System (EPACS). Designed to enhance the F-35’s power and thermal management, the EPACS system delivers significantly increased cooling capacity to meet the demands of today and tomorrow. By providing the critical thermal margin required to support planned technology upgrades, EPACS ensures the F-35 remains at the cutting edge of performance throughout its entire lifecycle. Altitude testing is a critical element of early development and risk reduction for a new PTMS. The system was run for several days at power levels replicating mission requirements. It was pushed to operational limits in various altitudes to collect performance data and demonstrate that EPACS can deliver the emergency power expected during operation. This test validates system performance models. This latest milestone follows Collins’ announcement in 2025 that EPACS met requirements for aircraft integration.
“Successful altitude testing validates system performance in real-world flight conditions,” says Ira Grimmett, vice president, Environmental & Airframe Control Systems for Power & Controls at Collins Aerospace. “Completing this phase of testing advances EPACS maturity and reinforces confidence in the system’s capability and performance.”
Collins Aerospace is an American aviation and defense technology company, which is one of the world’s largest suppliers of aerospace and defense products. It was formed in 2018 from the merger between Rockwell Collins and UTC Aerospace Systems. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, it is a subsidiary of RTX Corporation. The company 80,000 employees are dedicated to delivering future-focused technologies to advance sustainable and connected aviation, passenger safety and comfort, mission success, space exploration, and more.
RTX Corporation, formerly Raytheon Technologies Corporation, is an American multinational aerospace and defense conglomerate headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. It is one of the largest aerospace and defense manufacturers in the world by revenue and market capitalization, as well as one of the largest providers of intelligence services. RTX manufactures aircraft engines, avionics, aerostructures, cybersecurity solutions, guided missiles, air defense systems, satellites, and drones. The company is a large military contractor, getting much of its revenue from the U.S. government. The company was formed in 2020 by a merger of equals between the aerospace subsidiaries of United Technologies Corporation (UTC) and the Raytheon Company. The merged company adopted the better-known name of Raytheon in the form Raytheon Technologies Corporation and transferred its headquarters to Waltham, Massachusetts. Former UTC CEO and chairman Gregory J. Hayes is chairman and CEO of the combined company, which was renamed from Raytheon Technologies Corporation to RTX in July 2023.
