IMPLICATIONS OF USAGE SEVERITY AND VARIABILITY BASED ON AN F-16 CASE STUDY

摘要

The development of the F-16 design loads spectrum used in the service life evaluation did not adequately anticipate the usage changes from legacy USAF fighter systems. This critical issue led to significant challenges for the F-16 program. The design usage during the F-16 development program was based upon previous USAF fighter aircraft experience and the F-16 specified missions. However, the maneuver activity for missions in the Air-to-Ground and General category was significantly more severe than anticipated. As a result, sufficient concern over the implications on structural integrity justified conducting a second F-16 full-scale airframe durability test. The results of the durability test program provided invaluable engineering data resulting in airframe modifications and repairs. An historical perspective of F-16 airframe development and experience related to service life is important to understand the design usage assumptions during various stages of the F-16 development program. This background information provides a perspective on the relationship between recognizing the F-16 usage severity and variability and the implications to production aircraft. Detailed comparisons between F-16 design and actual usage severity are provided for Air-to-Air, Air-to-Ground and General missions. In addition, F-16 actual usage data is provided to illustrate the significant usage variation experienced. Knowledge of the actual usage severity led to conducting a second F-16 full-scale airframe durability test and summary information is provided on the results. Finally, information is provided on the two major F-16 airframe modification programs developed to fix the airframe service life issues based on the implications of the actual usage severity coupled with the additional F-16 full-scale airframe durability test results.