Deliveries Of The Key Component Spanned 17 Years

While they'll likely be flying for a good, long time, the final chapter for one production element of the F-22 Raptor was written this week. Aerojet said Thursday that it shipped the last F-22 Raptor forward boom to The Boeing Company in Seattle, WA. The shipment completed the 10th lot of a procurement that spanned 17 years in support of the Boeing/Lockheed Martin/U.S. Air Force team.

Aerojet F-22 Forward Boom Manufacturing

The forward boom is a structural component providing wing, engine and horizontal tail attach points to carry much of the F-22 aft fuselage load. Using the EB weld process, Aerojet joins numerous titanium components together into a single monolithic structure meeting precise tolerances. The EB welding process allows the airframe design to merge complex features into a single component. This significantly reduces the need for fasteners, reduces weight, simplifies assembly and lowers cost. The reduction in fasteners also means fewer openings for possible fuel leaks.

Aerojet has been under contract to The Boeing Company on the F-22 Raptor air dominance fighter program since 1993 and has delivered 394 booms. The company was honored by Boeing as its Supplier of the Year in 2005 and 2007, and its gold and silver supplier for 2009 and 2010. "Our success is a testament to the skill, hard work and diligence that our employees put into this program," says Michael Magpayo, director of F-22 and Advanced Structures programs. "Congratulations go to all of our employees for their outstanding work and dedication over the past 17 years. They've really taken our philosophy of Operational Excellence, professionalism, dedication and teamwork to heart and have gone above and beyond for this program."

Aerojet says its success on the program is largely due to its EB welding technologies, which are capable of producing large welded structures, including full penetration welds of complex geometry with varying thickness and profile in a single pass. This capability can accommodate parts that fit in an envelope of 11 x 7 x 7 feet or larger, depending on the configuration. With a chamber size of 138" x 150" x 185," Aerojet's EB Welder is one of the largest in North America. The company estimates that since contract inception, it has produced more than seven miles of EB weld on the Forward Boom.

FMI: www.aerojet.com