Parker Aerospace thermal management system cools Joint Strike Missile electronics from Kongsberg Defense Systems

LIBERTY LAKE, Wash., 11 May 2013. Engineers at Kongsberg Defense and Aerospace (KDA) in Kongsberg, Norway, needed a thermal management solution for its Joint Strike Missile (JSM) design. They found their solution at the Parker Aerospace business segment of Parker Hannifin Corp. (NYSE:PH) in Liberty Lake, Wash.

Parker Aerospace won a contract to deliver a liquid-based thermal management system to cool electronics onboard the JSM. The contract, the value of which has not been disclosed, covers the development of the system up to the Preliminary Design Review (PDR) and prototype hardware. .

JSM, the development of which is funded by the Norwegian government, is expected to be the primary strike weapon for upcoming deliveries of F-35 Joint Strike Fighter single-seat, single-engine, fifth-generation multirole fighters. JSM holds potential for use on other aircraft, such as the F/A-18E/F.

Engineers at Parker Aerospace will design and manufacture the missile’s complete thermal management solution. The system design is a single-phase pumped liquid system using fuel as the cooling fluid and ultimate heat sink, says a representative.

The hardware ship set includes: two cold plates for the forward avionics module (FAM) and rear avionics module (RAM); pumping system with pump, motor, and controller; heater; and fluid conveyance kit with tubes and fittings. Company officials expect to deliver the first set of system hardware to Kongsberg, headquartered in Norway, during the first half of this year.

“The JSM is a great product for our customers, and will capitalize on the successful Naval Strike Missile (NSM) already in service,” says Kongsberg Procurement Manager for JSM Håkon Engebrethsen. “Parker Aerospace brings a wealth of thermal management experience and has a vital role in the development of this system for our latest-generation missile.”

Company officials anticipate wining a contract for the remainder of the development and system qualification. Potential customers and qualified platforms may push the total number of JSM deliveries to more than 2,000.

Parker Aerospace’s thermal management systems (TMS) organization--located in Liberty Lake, Wash., and Mentor, Ohio--is part of the Parker Aerospace Gas Turbine Fuel Systems Division and specializes in single-phase liquid and two-phase liquid/vapor thermal management products and systems. The TMS team designs and manufactures complete thermal management solutions for military and aerospace customers, often integrating products from across Parker’s portfolio.

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