The University of Dayton Research Institute was awarded a $42.2 million U.S. Air Force contract that will maintain 30 existing jobs at the research center, officials said.

A $1.2 million contract from GE Aviation for complimentary research will create three to five new positions.

The Air Force contract is for research and development in advanced power and thermal management technologies for hypersonic and long-range aircraft, said Bang-Hung Tsao, group leader for Advanced Power Components in UDRI’s Energy Technologies and Materials Division.

The seven-year program will allow UDRI researchers to perform basic and applied research and development of materials and technologies for more efficient, compact and lightweight power and thermal management systems.

Officials said the Air Force Research Laboratory Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity contract has a $42.2 million ceiling and allows UDRI to compete for individual task orders. The institute has been awarded $7.4 million for its first task order under the program.

The research will focus on meeting the increased demand for power in advanced military aircraft systems, as well as dissipating the heat that power creates. “When you generate a lot of heat, radar can see the aircraft,” Tsao said.

Thermal management is becoming a greater challenge because lightweight composite structures don’t conduct heat out into the atmosphere as well as traditional aluminum alloys.

The researchers also are working to develop high-temperature silicon carbide electronics, which have the potential for both military and commercial applications, Tsao said.

The program will involve researchers from UDRI, GE Aviation, the Air Force and UD’s School of Engineering.

“We want to try to all together create a strong program right here and enhance our Dayton community’s jobs and the opportunities for UD’s graduates,” Tsao said.