Fairchild Controls to Supply Environmental Control Systems for Avionics Upgrades on U.S. Air Force B-52 Bombers

Friday, Jan 09, 2009

Fairchild Controls has been selected to develop an airborne cooling system for Northrop Grumman Corporations ALQ-122 electronics suite installed on U.S. Air Force B-52 strategic bombers.

The projects first phase includes delivery of three prototype cooling units, called chillers, and the associated controls to Northrop Grummans Aerospace Systems Division. Successful completion of a flight and ground test program is expected to be followed by orders for production hardware, which will equip B-52s being outfitted with Northrop Grummans modernized electronic warfare self-protection systems.

Fairchild Controls chiller will be used to cool the B-52s ALQ-122 electronics suite, utilizing the companys proven Vapor Cycle System (VCS) technology. This new contract builds on Fairchild Controls established relationship with Northrop Grumman, which began with the supply of environmental control systems for aircraft pod-mounted systems.

""We are very proud to support Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Air Force on the legendary B-52, an airplane with a unique legacy in our nations national security,"" said Fairchild Controls President Scott Selle. ""This important award expands the application of our environmental controls into a new area -- military aircraft supplemental electronics cooling -- augmenting the VCS cooling applications we already have on commercial aircraft, military pods, helicopters and amphibious vehicles.