GKN Aerospace Joins ICEFlight Consortium to Develop Cryogenic Hydrogen Cooling and Power Systems

GKN Aerospace Joins ICEFlight Consortium to Develop Cryogenic Hydrogen Cooling and Power Systems

(IN BRIEF) GKN Aerospace has become a core partner in ICEFlight, an Airbus-led consortium under the Dutch “Luchtvaart in Transitie” programme, alongside Cryoworld, Stirling Cryogenics, Futura Composites, NLR, Delft University of Technology, and University of Twente. The collaboration will develop and rigorously test cryogenic cooling and high-voltage electrical distribution systems that use liquid hydrogen both as fuel and as a coolant, enabling superconductivity in future aircraft powertrains. GKN’s contributions from its Netherlands site—backed by UK hydrogen expertise—will help establish Dutch test facilities led by NLR. ICEFlight aims to deliver a validated cryogenic cooling system and a cryogenic electrical network, advancing scalable, zero-emission propulsion technologies for larger aircraft.

(PRESS RELEASE) BIRMINGHAM, 16-Jun-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — GKN Aerospace has joined the ICEFlight (Innovative Cryogenic Electric Flight) consortium, a Dutch-led collaboration spearheaded by Airbus Tech Hub and Airbus UpNext under the “Luchtvaart in Transitie” programme. ICEFlight brings together industry and academic partners—including Cryoworld, Stirling Cryogenics, Futura Composites, the Royal Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR), Delft University of Technology, and the University of Twente—to advance cryogenic technologies for next-generation aircraft.

Under ICEFlight, GKN Aerospace will leverage its hydrogen systems and electrification know-how to develop, test, and validate specialised cryogenic cooling and high-voltage electrical distribution systems. These systems will explore liquid hydrogen’s dual role as a zero-emission fuel and an efficient cold source for electrical system cooling. By integrating superconductivity and hyperconductivity into aircraft powertrains, the consortium aims to boost performance and pave the way for scalable, sustainable aviation solutions.

“We’re proud to contribute our expertise in hydrogen systems and advanced electrification to ICEFlight,” said Russ Dunn, CTO of GKN Aerospace. “Our work from the Netherlands—supported by our UK hydrogen capabilities—will accelerate the maturation of these critical cryogenic technologies and help establish the Dutch facilities led by NLR as global test centres.”

The project will also establish cryogenic test infrastructure in the Netherlands to ensure robust validation of cooling and electrical network performance. Upon completion, ICEFlight will deliver two key innovations—a cryogenic cooling system and a cryogenic electrical network—positioning the supply chain to support larger-scale applications and sustainable growth across aerospace and beyond.

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SOURCE: GKN Aerospace