FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sep 14, 2009
San Diego, Calif., September 14, 2009: General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems division (GA-EMS) completed the second phase of high cycle testing (HCT II) on the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) power generation and power conditioning equipment July 27, at the Tupelo, Miss., manufacturing and test facility.
The tests collected reliability and performance data as part of reducing risk and ensuring the system meets all specified requirements.
More than 10,000 cycles were performed at shipboard-representative power, and energy levels and duty cycles. A final thermal test will be completed this summer.
The goal of the test is to confirm full operability of the motor generator during the maximum thermal range. In addition, environmental qualification tests will be conducted concurrently with the next phase of HCT, which will add an additional 30,000 cycles to this hardware.
“This phase of the test program provides significant risk reduction that the high energy inverters and rectifiers will do their intended job for EMALS. The PCS inverters have demonstrated active clamping beyond any known energy levels previously qualified,” said Division Vice President R. Scott Forney, III.
General Atomics is a San Diego-based innovation firm with a 50-year history of successful solutions for environmental, energy, and defense challenges. Affiliated manufacturing and commercial service companies include General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.
For further information contact:
Joel Patton
Director, Strategic Business
Electromagnetic Systems Division
(703) 682-6838
Joel.Patton@ga.com
Doug Fouquet
Public Relations
(858) 455-2173
Fouquet@ga.com