PALMDALE, Calif., Oct. 25 (UPI) -- U.S. company Lockheed Martin has won approval to push ahead with development of a new military air transport.
"The United States Air Force Research Laboratory -- AFRL -- has authorized Lockheed Martin to proceed to Phase II of the Advanced Composite Cargo Aircraft -- ACCA -- Flight Demonstration contract," the company said in a statement last week.
“This contract represents an important first step to advance composite usage on next-generation tactical air mobility transports,” said Frank Cappuccio, executive vice president and general manager, Advanced Development Programs -- also known as the Skunk Works -- at Lockheed Martin.
Lockheed Martin said ACCA was "a capstone demonstration of several technologies developed under recent Department of Defense Contracted Research and Development -- CRAD -- programs, particularly the Composite Affordability Initiative."
“AFRL is excited to authorize Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works to proceed with their highly innovative demonstration program,” said Barth Shenk, AFRL program manager.
"Under the contract, Lockheed Martin will build and flight-demonstrate an X-Plane type aircraft with emphasis on innovative structural configurations and concepts to include advanced prototyping and composite technologies. Its solution involves replacement of the mid/aft fuselage and empennage of a Dornier 328J aircraft with advanced composites within the required 12-month schedule," the company said.
“With ACCA we are attempting to reinvent the manufacturing paradigm through the strategic use of composite manufacturing technologies,” said Frank Mauro, vice president, Advanced Systems Development, Advanced Development Programs -- Skunk Works -- at Lockheed Martin. “This is an important opportunity to forever change the way composites are used in aircraft manufacturing, leading to lighter, less expensive, more durable aircraft that are easier to maintain.”
Lockheed Martin said its integration of advanced composites on the ACCA flight demonstrator would "enable a reduction of 80 percent to 90 percent in parts count and a dramatic reduction in corrosion and fatigue issues compared to conventional aircraft manufacturing approaches."
"ACCA will provide production traceability allowing the key technologies to be applicable to a broad spectrum of next generation aircraft including long range strike, unmanned systems and future air mobility transports," the company said.
