Atrenne delves into Air Flow Through (AFT) cooling, and why it outperforms passive and liquid methods for defense electronics, balancing high performance with reliability and rugged design. Learn more > >
As defense electronics become more compact and power-dense, thermal management plays a critical role in maintaining system reliability and performance. Choosing the right cooling methodology can make or break mission success—especially in harsh, high-demand environments.
In a detailed comparison of passive, liquid, and Air Flow Through (AFT) cooling, AFT stands out as the optimal choice for modern defense applications. Unlike passive cooling, which lacks scalability, or liquid cooling, which introduces complexity and maintenance risks, AFT delivers robust performance without compromising reliability or SWaP constraints. Its ability to efficiently dissipate heat—up to 150W per slot—makes it ideal for high-performance embedded systems used in ISR, ELINT, and SIGINT operations.
The article also highlights Atrenne’s 714 SOSA-Aligned AFT Chassis, a prime example of innovation in rugged thermal management. Designed to meet open standards like SOSA™ and OpenVPX™, this chassis is engineered for demanding defense environments, offering advanced cooling, modularity, and mission-ready durability.
