Affordable Evolution: Engineering Change Proposal (ECP) 6038 F/A-18E/F Forward Fuselage Structural Certification
Abstract
The F/A-18E/F is getting an improved forward fuselage which can be built at a substantially lower cost while accommodating a new Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar. Structural design and certification costs have been mitigated by simulation and analysis. These efforts launched early in the program established confidence that some requirements, traditionally demonstrated by test, could instead be satisfied with high fidelity modeling and simulation. Structural recertification costs have created a barrier to change in the past. At the same time, aircraft programs face pressure to improve performance, accommodate new avionics and equipment, expand payloads, correct defects and improve affordability. Engineering Change Proposal (ECP) 6038 authorizes a change to the F/A-18E/F Forward Fuselage. Early high fidelity analysis and simulations built upon the large foundation of data gathered during the Engineering and Manufacturing Demonstration (EMD) phase of the F/A-18E/F program provided the confidence that design goals could be met and that testing could be minimized. The excellent matching of EMD test data was not only a major accomplishment of the ECP 6038 team. It also establishes a concept of modularization in that a relatively large component of the aircraft has undergone a significant design change without affecting the rest of the air vehicle. This has far reaching implications toward future change strategies.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 2003
- Accession Number
- ADP014165
Entities
People
- Mark K. Holly
Organizations
- Boeing