The Application of New Technology to Military Aircraft Structure

The paper presents some of the problems encountered when advanced technology hardware and/or software are made a part of an ongoing system such as the B-1 bomber. The introduction of diffusion bonded Titanium, superplastically formed parts and the use of boron reinforced longerons are three examples of new technological applications of hardware. The requirement to conduct a fracture mechanics control program, the new computer program to determine the combination of the fatigue effects and fracture behavior and a new flutter optimization methodology are three other examples of new applications of software to a military aircraft. The paper treats each example to show why it was adopted, the pressing need to make it work in the real world outside the laboratory and some of the problems of using the new technology which were not anticipated.