Authored by Mrigakshi Dixit via Interesting Engineering,
The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) and Fleet Readiness Center Southwest (FRCSW) have co-developed a 3D-printed composite repair method designed to reduce F/A-18 Super Hornet maintenance times by approximately 50 percent.
An F/A-18 Super Hornet pilot prepares for flight at Fleet Readiness Center Southwest in San Diego.NAWCAD Visual InformationWhen an F/A-18 fighter jet gets damaged at a remote base, fixing its advanced composite parts typically takes weeks. The Navy had to wait for specialized technicians to arrive or ship massive parts across the globe to repair depots in the US, keeping combat jets grounded.
Also, the Navy faces a drop in critical combat readiness as it struggles to keep up with fighter jet repairs.
The new method could solve this challenge. The engineers have designed a high-performance, 3D-printed composite patches that can be manufactured and applied directly onto grounded aircraft. Rather than waiting weeks for a shipping container, sailors at forward bases can s
