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New developments in the Aerospace & Defence industry
Essentium To Develop Materials & Components For US Air Force
Texas-based 3D printing company Essentium has been awarded a contract by the US Air Force to “drive the development and deployment of advanced additive manufacturing (AM) solutions”.
The company will work on applications in tooling, ground support, maintenance repair and overhaul, and flight-certified parts for military aircraft and ground vehicles owned by both the US Air Force and the National Guard Bureau (NGB).
The multi-year collaborative contract has the potential to save both services millions of dollars and manhours by ramping up additive manufacturing production and developing certified materials that will produce consistent, high-quality AM parts and components that are both faster and cheaper to make.
This contract is part of more than $550 million (€469 million) recently deployed through the US Air Force’s Strategic Financing (STRATFi) initiative, the goal of which is “to identify and advance ‘big bet’ technologies that have the potential to protect and advance the future dominance of the US Air Force and its airmen,” the company said in a press release.
The contract will also help the NGB advance its ability to speed the production of parts for ageing fleets of air and ground vehicles.
The US Air Force is under pressure to accelerate aircraft repairs, reduce costs, and quickly get aircraft back in the air. For many ageing aircraft, replacement parts are scarce, and it is challenging to find manufacturers willing to resume the production of parts that may not be reordered for many years. Parts ordered one or two at a time are expensive and can entail exceptionally long waits, often leading the Air Force to “cannibalise” parts from the ‘aircraft boneyard’ at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.
To address these production, supply chain, and procurement challenges, the Essentium-US Air Force project team will work together on the testing and development of new materials and processes using the Essentium High-Speed Extrusion (HSE) 3D Printing Platform.
According to Essentium, the HSE platform offers fast print speeds “for rapid part production at the point of use, whilst decreasing the time required to certify new materials for use in flight.”
Nathan Parker, Deputy PEO, Rapid Sustainment Office, U.S. Air Force, said: “Developing safety-critical aeroplane parts is closer than ever before due to cutting edge technology like Essentium’s additive manufacturing solution. Essentium demonstrated it has the expertise and capabilities to create parts with consistent replication using the Essentium HSE 3D Printing Platform. We will work together to drive additive manufacturing technology forward; for faster aircraft repairs that massively reduce time to deliver parts to keep our warfighters ready.”
Elisa Teipel, Ph.D., Chief Development Officer and Co-founder, Essentium, Inc. said: “The sky is the limit for the potential benefits of additive manufacturing for the US Air Force. As well as reducing operating costs by tens of millions, the strategic capability we will work with our STRATFi partners to deliver through this program will help bring about an end to the scenario of days of aircraft sitting on the tarmac awaiting simple replacement parts which may be 3D printed and can get them flying again. We are beyond thrilled to be awarded this contract and work with our government customers to help drive significant advancement in military parts manufacturing and advance the U.S. Air Force’s military leadership.”
Learn more at: www.essentium.com
bulgaria Signs agreement for Navy patrol Ships
Bulgaria has signed an agreement with German shipyard Lürssen for the construction of two multi-functoinal modular patrol ships for the navy worth an estimated €503.1 million.
The contract is expected to be signed sometime next week, according to business outlet Capital.
The outlet reported the deal was conducted behind closed doors after a weekly cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
The defence ministry’s decision to team with Lürssen was challenged earlier in the year owing to contractr competition with Italy’s Fincantieri.
The two new vessels are set to replace Russian-crafted vessels which have aged beyond repair.
The deal was concieved back in 2017 but was delayed after the initial proprietor dropped out owing to government spending limits.
It is currently unkown when construction will commence. Learn more at: www.luerssen.de/en
INDUSTRYNEWS Germany Mulls BDI Proposal For North Sea Satellite Launchpad
The German government is mulling over a proposal from the Federation of German Industries (BDI) for the creation of a mobile satellite launchpad in the North Sea. The plan would see small satellites of up to one tonne being launched with German-built rockets.
While no specific site has been chosen as of yet, it would be within Germany’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
The project, which is being lobbied for by the BDI, which represents large, medium and small companies across the country, would be a public-private partnership.
German media quote the BDI proposal as saying “a German launchpad is technically feasible and makes strategic and economic sense”.
The digital economy relies heavily on the use of satellites, which makes space projects increasingly attractive for start-ups.
The launchpad proposal would involve three German start-ups including Isar Aerospace, based in Ottobrunn, near Munich, which is developing two-stage 27 metre (89 ft) rockets that it plans to begin launching next year.
One of Isar’s advisers is Bulent Altan, one of the former vice presidents at SpaceX, the space services company led by Elon Musk.
The proposed platform would be not be for booster rockets of the kind used by the European Space Agency, but would be used for “mini-rockets”.
Mini-rockets - compact satellites powered by low-cost, miniaturised electronics - are becoming increasingly popular. The problem thus far has been getting them into orbit.
Usually, these smaller rockets are taken in groups of 30 to 60 at a time into the upper atmosphere on larger rockets. What this means is that companies have to wait on the readiness of others and also going into orbits which represent a compromise, rather than the ideal orbit for the particular mission.
A launchpad based at sea is ideal because for those countries without a land area far away from population centres - such as Germany - it presents a safe solution in the event of an in-flight failure which would see the vehicle fall back down to Earth.
The BDI proposal suggests that the German government put forward and initial investment of around €30 million, after which it is envisaged the North Sea launchpad would become commercially profitable.
German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier has spoken favourably in the past about the prospect of Germany developing its own space launch facility.
Nonetheless, there have been reports in German media that the BDI plan could be a source of political friction with Germany’s partners in Europe, for example Sweden, Norway and the EU itself, who have been reported to harbour similar ambitions. Learn more at: www.english.bdi.eu/
over 5,000 sign open letter For eu president to end Quarantine restrictions on Air travel
Over 20 EU travel and tourism associations have issued an open letter to European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen urging her to end lockdown restrictions for the industry to resume the livelihoods of the roughly 27 million people working in the sector.
The letter calls for the end of the “extreme” quarantine restrictions and for them to be replaced with a proposed “EU Testing Protocol for travel” legislation that will help mitigate variables they say are crippling the travel industry.
The group, who represent over 5,000 companies and the people who work for them, have pointed to inconsistencies with how the various EU member states are handling travel restrictions, calling for across-theboard regulation in getting the sector back up and running.
The letter has been signed by representatives from across the travel and tourism sector, including workers, airlines, airports aeronautics manufacturers, railways, ground handlers, caterers and their supply traders and many more in a bid to reignite the industry before the damage caused by the pandemic and travel restrictions become irreparable.
It comes as the latest report from ACI EUROPE, an airport body who are also signatories to the letter, which shows a decline for the industry for the first two months of September - which now sits at a net loss of -73% - down from a sluggish “peak recovery” period of -65% for August.
In the open letter to Mrs Von der Leyen, the signatories describe the situation as “chaotic” and “in need of her personal involvement.”
They said: “We are urging you to make this issue a top priority and calling on you to address this issue directly with Heads of State and the Government.
They added: “Beyond the huge economic and human costs involved, the freedom of movement of people and the principle of non-discrimination - the core pillars and essential purpose of the European project - are at risk.”
The signatories are uniting behind a call to action by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) which claims that extreme regulation is ineffective in suppressing the spread of airborne diseases where community transmission is already present, such as in Europe.
They end the letter by saying they “hope the EU will not let [them] down.”
