How can the canopy fracturing system (CFS) be activated besides automatically during ejection?

The canopy fracturing system (CFS) is designed primarily to enhance safety during an ejection from the aircraft by ensuring that the canopy is properly fractured to allow for a clear exit. While the system automatically activates during ejection to ensure reliability, it can also be activated by means of external CFS handles. These handles are accessible from outside the aircraft and provide ground crew or maintenance personnel the ability to manually activate the CFS for safety checks or maintenance procedures without relying solely on the automated system.

Using external handles is critical in situations where the aircraft may be on the ground, and the crew may need to ensure that the canopy is properly repositioned or removed without the risk posed by the onboard ejection system. This manual capability is a vital part of the overall safety and operational procedures associated with the aircraft maintenance and ground handling processes.

Other methods of activation through internal handles or manual operations are more limited in scope or may not provide the same level of access or safety. Therefore, the option that specifies activation through external CFS handles appropriately highlights the capability to utilize the system beyond its automated function during ejection.