In the mid-1990's, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) recognized that despite the potential of advanced composites to drastically reduce aircraft structural weight compared to conventional metal structures, the aircraft industry was reluctant to implement them in new aircraft. Although composites were applied on the F-15, F-16, and F-18 in small percentages, data showed that composite applications had reached a plateau. For example, despite early projections of the F-22 airframe being 50 percent composite by weight, it ultimately settled back to 25 percent (Kg.1).
展开▼
