Liquid-Circulation System Keeps Aircrew Members Cool

Each member of the aircrew of an advanced fighter airplane wears a complex, multilayered ensemble that imposes a significant thermal burden by inhibiting normal transport of heat from the body. The thermal burden may be aggravated by the use of nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) protective clothing, insolation through the canopy, psychological mission stress, and, in the future, positive-pressure breathing equipment used in COMBAT EDGE (Combined Advanced Technology Enhanced Design "G" Ensemble) equipped aircraft. The inability of the body to rid itself of excess heat can, at the very least, cause discomfort, but can also degrade mission effectiveness and pose a serious threat to safety and health. The aircrew personnel environmental control system (APECS) was designed to satisfy the need to remove excess heat from the body under these conditions. The APECS can also be used to keep pilots relatively cool when waiting for long times on the ground in hot weather, as well as in flight.