Ram Air Turbine Driven Power and Cooling Unit for Enhanced EA-18 Mission Effectiveness

CFDRC has completed demonstration of an 18 inch diameter submerged Ram Air Turbine (RAT) capable of generating 65 KW at an EA-18G sea level flight speed of 280 kcas while fitting within the confines of multiple Next Generation Jammer (NGJ) pod concepts under consideration by NAVAIR. In this effort CFDRC will complete test and evaluation of a larger RAT coupled to a Honeywell COTS generator. This effort will culminate in the generation of at least 60 KW at 25,000 feet at the desired EA-18G flight speed of 220 kcas. All T&E will be completed prior to the conclusion of impending prime contractor (Raytheon, ITT/Boeing, Northrop Grumman, and BAE) Technology Maturation efforts. A comprehensive map (Mach number from .25 - .90 and 0-30,000 feet) of the ductwork/RAT/generator performance at all projected EA-18G NGJ flight conditions will be validated within the confines of a TRL 5-6 pod configuration. In order to assist the Navy in assuring NGJ pod power does not become a discriminator technology during the prototype pod flight demonstration efforts all of the technology developed here will be made accessible to each NGJ program competitor. CFDRC has negotiated an agreement with Honeywell that insures our final RAT based NGJ prime power generation unit will rapidly transition through flight certification efforts with no manufacturability and maintainability risk.