Enhanced Combat Damage Tolerance/Supportability for Improved Combat Sustainability

FUTURE MILITARY AIRCRAFT will be required to maintain a higher level of combat effectiveness than their predecessors. This can be achieved by increasing threat survivability and providing rapid repair for combat damage. Achieving these goals will require full integration of survivability and supportability requirements early in the design process. This paper discusses future military airframe combat damage tolerance design requirements and features, relationship between supportability and survivability, peacetime support needs, and presents key elements of a design approach that ensures achieving combat mission effectiveness.