Exelis (Chalet C4A) has received processor qualification designation from Boeing for its composite design and manufacturing center in Salt Lake City, Utah. The qualification, achieved after a technical review against six Boeing specifications (BAC5578 and BAC5317-1 through -5), designates Exelis as an approved supplier of advanced, composite-structures to the Boeing supply chain.
To achieve this qualification, Exelis demonstrated its process controls and manufacturing capability for advanced, composite parts at varied temperatures during autoclave cures. The effort also included qualifying several pieces of equipment critical in the manufacturing process, including material-pattern cutters, optical-laser templates and autoclaves. Exelis completed the qualification process in less than a year.
Exelis has identified aerostructures as one of four strategic, growth platforms for the company. In fact, the company has just licensed patented, manufacturing technology from Belgium-based Bodair to produce various composite struts, tubes and rods for commercial and military aircraft.
The U.S. company plans to use the new technology to produce a variety of composite components under the STaR product line, including floor-beam and wing-box struts, control rods and torque tubes. The technology allows for rapid development and reconfiguration of product design and offers the capability to produce monolithic, carbon-fiber struts or integrate metallic fittings with carbon fiber during the automated manufacturing process. As a result, the STaR products weigh less and achieve the same strength requirements compared with other composite production methods. The composite hardware also provides a much higher strength-to-weight ratio versus traditional metallic parts.
Here at the Farnborough International Airshow, Exelis is also emphasizing its strengths in electronic warfare (EW). For instance, the company has developed an advanced capability pod that acts as an airborne jammer, generating electronics countermeasures against radio-frequency threats.
Business development vice president Andy Dunn explained that fitting electronic warfare systems into pods has enabled it to upgrade older aircraft, such as some F-16s that do not have the room to carry internal systems. Exelis is increasingly focusing on reducing the size, weight and power needs of EW systems so that they can be used for smaller platforms.
Another trend is to allow platforms to become more multi-functional with equipment that can be reprogrammed for alternative missions. “For instance, this could involve adapting a transmitter that transmits jamming signals into a receiver that can be used as an intelligence gatherer,” Dunn said.