KEY-TECHNOLOGIES-FOR-THE-1990S.Pdf
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An Indu ·tr · . tud f High-Leverage, Enabling Aero 1 , 'Jechnologies and Roadmaps To Attain Them "America's competitiveness in world markets is critical to maintaining and expanding our standard of living and the national security. I have established a national goal of assuring American competitive preeminence into the 21st century. Achieving that goal is the responsibility of all Americans." President Ronald Reagan State of the Union Address January 27, 1987 A Report of cil of AlA IBER 1987 AEROSPACJ, I IATION (Jl RICA, INC. 1250 EYJ: • WASHINGTO. ', D.C. 20005 An Industry Study of High-Leverage, Enabling Aerospace Technologies and Roadmaps To Attain Them A Report of the Aerospace Thchnical Council of AlA NOVEMBER 1987 AEROSPACE INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA, INC. 1250 EYE STREET N.W. • WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005 AlA represents the major U.S. Chairman SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT aerospace companies engaged in John M. Swihart Dr. James R. Burnett Corporate Vice President Vice President and Deputy General Manager the research, development and The Boeing Company Electronics and Defense Sector, TR\"1, lnc. manufacture of aircraft, missiles Key Thchnologies PROPULSION SYSTEMS and space systems and related Steering Group Airbreathing Engines propulsion, guidance, control and Dr. James R. Burnett Frank E. Pickering Executive Vice President and General Manager Vice President and General Manager other equipment. The association Space and Defense Sector, TRW, Inc. Group Engineering and Technology Division functions on national and Robert L. Cattoi Aircraft Engine Group, General Electric Company international levels. Senior Vice President, Research and Engineering Rocket Engines Rockwell International Corporation The Aerospace Technical Council Thomas F. Davidson C. Ronald Lowry Vice President, 'Technical Aerospace Group is the industry's senior technical Vice President, Research and 'Technology Morton Thiokol, Inc. body and is chartered to focus Aerospace Industries Association ADVANCED SENSORS Lawrence M. Mead, Jr. R. Noel Longuemare on the development of Special 'Technical Assistant to the President Vice President and General Manager Grumman Corporation II high-technology systems. Defense and Electronics Systems Cente1· Dr. David Passeri Westinghouse Electric Corporation Vice President, Engineering Bendix Aerospace Sector OPTICAL INFORMATION Allied-Signal Aerospace Company PROCESSING Dr. James N. Polky ThchnologY.: Roadrnap Manager, Optical Information Processing Department Study Leaders The Boeing Electronics High 'Tech Center ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ROADMAP COORDINATOR James B. Feller Richard H. Hartke Staff Vice President, 'Technology Director, 'Technology Programs RCA Aerospace and Defense, General Electric Aerospace Industries Association Company COMPOSITE MATERIALS ULTRARELIABLE Dr. Felix W. Fenter ELECTRONICS SYSTEMS President, Missiles Division The LTV Corporation Rowland H. Wagner Vice President, 'Technology VERY LARGE SCALE Avionics Systems Business INTEGRATED CIRCUITS Aerospace and Defense, Honeywell, Inc. Dr. Leonard R. Weisberg Editor Vice President, Research and Engineering W. F. Nouss Honeywell Aerospace and Defense The Boeing Commercial Airplane Company U.S. AEROSPACE COMPETITIVENESS INITIATIVE • . 4 INTRODUCTION . • •.. .. 5 COMPOSITE MATERIALS .... • .. 7 VERY LARGE SCALE INTEGRATED CIRCUITS . •. 11 SOITWARE DEVELOPMENT ... 15 PROPULSION SYSTEMS . ..• ••• 19 ADVANCED SENSORS . • .. •. ·. 25 OPTICAL INFORMATION PROCESSING .. • • ....• •..... 29 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE . •. 33 ULTRARELIABLE ELECTRONICS . .. ....• .. • .• .. 37 THE NATIONAL CHALLENGE .. 40 SUMMARY ... ....... ••• .. • . 42 RECOMMENDATIONS . .. •.. • 43 PLANS ACTIONS PAYOFFS l I New, focused national efforts by govenunent, industry and academia Validate key technologies roadmaps for development in the 1990s More cohesive national policies regarding technology development Cooperative preparation and incentives of technology development program • Policy strategy • Thchnical plan • Resources Development of creative ways to encourage cooperative R&D planning and implementation II The U.S. aerospace industry immediate and special attention The overall intent of this is in danger of losing its based on selection criteria of report is to: competitive position in world highest leverage, potential payoff markets and its superiority in and broadest application. 1. Present an overview of the military capability. Although eight technologies the industry has consistently maintained a substantial positive In the aerospace 2. Encourage federal trade balance, aerospace imports industry, technology endorsement of a long-term cooperative research and are increasing rapidly and U.S. development is the aerospace competitiveness is development effort including eroding. key to international the participation of competitiveness. government, industry and Foreign competitors have academia worked diligently to upgrade their technology and the capabilities of This report proposes a 3. Provide a basis for a truly their products now equal or national strategy to improve national effort enhancing exceed ours in several important the U.S. competitive position in the technology developm.ent fields. the global trade arena by process creating a new national effort-one For the past five years, the AlA which cooperatively harnesses Aerospace Technical Council has industry, government and been studying the developmental academia together on the focused status of aerospace technologies. development of key enabling Of the over 100 technologies technologies to regain the U.S. reviewed, eight key technologies aerospace industry's world were identified as needing leadership. Advanced composites make up a composites exhibit such an as more highly skilled engineers family of lightweight aerospace excellent strength-to-weight ratio who are familiar with the structural materials that offer that the potential future market is developmental problems of significant weight savings, as well quite large. This factor alone is composites technology. as structural integrity, in enough to encourage significant Encouragement of this R&lD comparison to current metal cost reduction through effort would help the U.S. alloys. Their use is predicted to competition between suppliers. composites industry maintain its result in more fuel-efficient Aspects of this technology, such lead. Future program requirements aircraft, lighter missile and as lower structural weight and demand that immediate attention spacecraft structure, reduced greater component heat resistance, should be given to the fabrication manufacturing and labor costs and make advanced composites a of materials exhibiting even a more innovative approach to required area of development for greater toughness, utility and aerospace design. Since emerging future aerospace applications, such resistance to higher temperature. aerospace systems are in need of as high-speed aircraft and advanced With a sufficient effort, a 25o/o to such benefits, advanced composites propulsion systems. Currently, 50o/o reduction in production costs technology can have a great effect development is concentrating on for most aerospace structures could on many programs of national improving the performance of the be realized before the year 2000. interest. basic materials and identifYing At present, a number of cost-effective applications. Due to application barriers still exist, even the complexities of composite though advanced composites have materials, such as their directional been studied for some time. properties, their low ductility and Confidence in this relatively fiber/matrix interface problems, untested technology is not yet there is a need for advanced strong, and many costs still remain automated design and prohibitive. However, advanced manufacturing techniques, as well ACTIVITIES PAYOFFS --------------------------------- ------1 Materials R & D 1 Thermoplastics Metal Matrix, Ceramics, Advanced : .,.____ "''f"" _________ Carbon__ /___Carbon______ __ ________Resin__ __ ____ Matrix__ ______ __ __ ) I I----- - ---.----- - - - ------ - --------------------------- - - -~ 1 Innovative Designs 1 I I . .I . I 1 " Aeroe ashe T.u onng 1 IL ·---""'·------High-Aspect-Ratio·---------- Wings·----- ·-----_;I ---- ~;~:;~;:;:::;~-~-;-;;-~ Precision Fiber Automated I [ Placement Production I ------------------------------------ _______) '--~~-----------------------~~~------------------------------~~~--------------~ 1980 1990 2000 ADVANCEMENT INHIBITORS REQUIRED DEVELOPMENT • Materials and processes are still evolving • High-temperature materials • Questions of long-term durability • Refined structural analy sis methods • Raw material and processing costs are high • Unified technical data base II • More skilled engineering resources are needed • Improved environmental durability • Innovative, low-cost manufacturing methods • Simplified repair methods • Advanced automated design techniques RECOMMENDATIONS MAJOR BENEFITS • Institute a major national program to accelerate development of a broad technology base with active government, industry and university support • Demonstrate maintainability and cost-effectiveness of advanced composites Benefits • Pursue new and innovative material forms and processes to Significant Weight exploit potential of advanced Savings composites • • • • High-1emperature • Continue development of Resistance • • advanced automated design and Reduced Life analysis methods for effective Cycle Cost • • • and efficient fulfillment of system requirements Improved