The ADCA program defined the payoffs and ramifications of the unrestrained application of advanced composites materials to a completely new aircraft. The specific objective was to obtain a smaller, lighter and less costly aircraft, capable of performing the supersonic penetration interdiction fighter mission at lower life cycle costs than a metal counterpart. The program indicated that significant cost and weight savings over an equivalent metal aircraft could be achieved by the logical application of advanced composite materials to 80% of airframe. The final savings were a 26% reduction in vehicle take-off-gross weight and a 21% reduction in the cumulative average fly-away costs. These savings were primarily due to the resizing of the vehicle which was made possible by the weight savings resulting from application of composites. Aside from these savings, this program has also demonstrated that the capability exists, with current technology, to design and fabricate an airframe utilizing up to 80% composite material. (Author)
Advanced Design Composite Aircraft (ADCA) Study. Volume 1
1976
451 pages
Report
No indication
English
Aircraft , Composite Materials , Manufacturing Processes & Materials Handling , Airframes , Composite structures , Fiber reinforced composites , Jet fighters , Manufacturing , Technology , Weight reduction , Cost effectiveness , Aeronautical engineering , Feasibility studies , Bonding , Fastenings , Joints , Aerodynamic control surfaces , Fuselages , Wings , Canard configuration , Conformal structures , Graphite , Boron , Epoxy resins , Fabrication efficiency , Advanced systems , Supersonic aircraft , Jet engines , Mission profiles , Interdiction , Penetration , Life cycle costs , Lightweight , Cost estimates , Air Force procurement , SPIF(Supersonic penetration interdiction fighters) , Supersonic penetration interdiction fighters , Graphite epoxy composites , Boron epoxy composites , Design , Hybrid wings , Composite materials , Laminates , Advanced design composite aircraft
Advanced Design Composite Aircraft study
AIAA | 1977
|Advanced Design Composite Material Aircraft Study
AIAA | 1978
|Advanced Design Composite Aircraft
NTIS | 1976
|