The U.S. Air Force awarded a $3.5 million contract to Arkansas Power Electronics International Inc. to develop a high-temperature silicon carbide power module for an F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
From the product brochure (2009 PDF) of sorts. Yup. 270-volt electrical plan, and those flight controls working away...working...working...
In an effort to reduce the well known F-35 thermal issues, and of course, increase the reliability of the system.
More Electrical Aircraft
Another important target application area for the SiC power module is in aerospace systems. In particular, the need to reduce aircraft maintenance costs and operational weights while improving fuel efficiency has led aircraft system designers to implement More Electric Aircraft (MEA) solutions. These solutions aim to replace conventional design methodologies with electric and electronic replacements. For example, the hydraulic systems typically used to move the flight control surfaces on the wings and flaps of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter have been replaced with electric motors and electronic motor drives. These drives must be lightweight and reliably withstand extreme temperatures with minimal cooling. APEI, Inc. is working the U.S. Air Force to replace the present silicon solutions with the SiC power module outlined in this document.
Looks like the marketing department didn't get the message. There were never any hydraulics for the F-35 flight control system. It was all electro-actuated. This latest contract may be a change to replace someone else's mistake, or a mild improvement. Yet one more thing that adds to the complexity of what was supposed to be an affordable, joint, coalition, strike-fighter.
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