Improved Electromechanical Actuators for Aircraft Carrier Flight Deck Applications

Ensuring the safe deployment and recovery of airwings on Ford-class aircraft carriers demands sophisticated flight deck systems. Among these, the Jet Blast Deflector (JBD) system plays a pivotal role, deflecting jet exhaust during launch operations and retracting swiftly to accommodate incoming aircraft landings. Traditionally, hydraulic actuators were used to operate the JBD systems, but the CVN-78 introduced electromechanical actuators (EMAs) for their improved resilience, simplicity, and safety. However, operational challenges persist, particularly under emergency conditions. Responding to this critical need, the Navy’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program released a topic "Improved Electromechanical Actuators for Aircraft Flight Deck Applications.” Fathom5, during Phase I, embarked on developing an emergency JBD lowering system utilizing its patented Tesar Power™ technology. The Tesar Power™ technology integrates an eccentric gearbox with exceptional volumetric torque density, making it ideally suited for high-torque industrial applications requiring a compact solution. At the heart of this system lies a compact Tesar Power™ lowering actuator, driven by a small electric motor, offering a myriad of advantages over traditional hydraulic systems. These include faster JBD lowering, reduced spatial footprint, simplified operations, increased reliability, and improved safety. Phase II of the project is aimed at validating the performance of Fathom5's Tesar Power™ design by manufacturing prototypes and undertaking a phased testing process across Phase II Base, Option I, and Option II. This testing approach starts in Phase II Base with load testing a stand-alone Tesar Power™ gear assembly prototype to drastically reduce the primary technical risk associated with Tesar Power™ actuator designs and deliver comprehensive load and lifetime test reports. Following successful initial load test performance, Option I tests the integrated Tesar Power™ lowering actuator prototype under operational JBD loads, duty cycles, and environmental factors using a JBD test unit or load equivalent test rig and appropriate marine environment test facilities. Concurrent with Option I, Option II recycles the experience of developing the Tesar Power™ lowering actuator to design, prototype, and test an additional Tesar Power™ actuator to replace the existing hydraulic Enerpac™ JBD crank clutch actuator. Following the successful completion of Phase II Base and Options, Fathom5 believes there will be enough objective performance evidence for the Navy to acquire the emergency JBD lowering system for installation and shipboard testing onboard a Ford-class carrier as part of a Phase III contract.