The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is seeking proposals for the development of a thermal management system (TMS) for aircraft landing decks to counter the effects of the heat from the exhausts of MV-22 Osprey and F-35B engine exhausts.
The call comes after a recent deployment of USMC MV-22 Ospreys which resulted in the flightdeck of an LHD buckling due to the heat from the aircraft’s engine exhausts, and studies by the USN indicate that repeated deck buckling will likely cause deck failure before planned ship life.
Additionally, the F-35B STOVL variant of the JSF is likely to have an even greater affect on current non-skid deck surfaces and their structures.
The successful proposals will be integrated on the USN’s LHD 1 (USS Wasp) and LHA 6 (USS America) class of ships.
