Lockheed Martin Awarded Phase II Advanced Composite Cargo Aircraft Flight Demonstration Contract

    PALMDALE, Calif., Oct. 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The United States
 Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has authorized Lockheed Martin (
 LMT) to proceed to Phase II of the Advanced Composite Cargo Aircraft (ACCA)
 Flight Demonstration contract.
     "This contract represents an important first step to advance composite
 usage on next-generation tactical air mobility transports," said Frank
 Cappuccio, executive vice president and general manager, Advanced
 Development Programs (the Skunk Works(R)), Lockheed Martin.
     Under the contract, Lockheed Martin will build and flight-demonstrate
 an X-Plane type aircraft with emphasis on innovative structural
 configurations and concepts to include advanced prototyping and composite
 technologies. Its solution involves replacement of the mid/aft fuselage and
 empennage of a Dornier 328J aircraft with advanced composites within the
 required 12-month schedule.
     "With ACCA we are attempting to reinvent the manufacturing paradigm
 through the strategic use of composite manufacturing technologies," said
 Frank Mauro, vice president, Advanced Systems Development, Advanced
 Development Programs (the Skunk Works(R)), Lockheed Martin. "This is an
 important opportunity to forever change the way composites are used in
 aircraft manufacturing, leading to lighter, less expensive, more durable
 aircraft that are easier to maintain."
     Lockheed Martin's integration of advanced composites on the ACCA flight
 demonstrator will enable a reduction of 80-90 percent in parts count and a
 dramatic reduction in corrosion and fatigue issues compared to conventional
 aircraft manufacturing approaches. Planned growth provisions will allow it
 to be used well into the future as a technology workhorse for additional
 air mobility advanced transport experiments. Further, ACCA will provide
 production traceability allowing the key technologies to be applicable to a
 broad spectrum of next generation aircraft including long range strike,
 unmanned systems and future air mobility transports.
     ACCA is a capstone demonstration of several technologies developed
 under recent Department of Defense Contracted Research and Development
 (CRAD) programs, particularly the Composite Affordability Initiative. "AFRL
 is excited to authorize Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works(R) to proceed with
 their highly innovative demonstration program," said Barth Shenk, AFRL
 program manager. AFRL is currently investigating opportunities for Aurora
 Flight Sciences to collaborate with Lockheed Martin and AFRL in the
 demonstration of additional technologies and capabilities for future
 transport structures.
     Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 140,000
 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design,
 development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced
 technology systems, products and services.
     For additional information, visit our Web site:
 http://www.lockheedmartin.com
 
 

SOURCE Lockheed Martin