Development of composite wing carrythrough bulkheads for fighter aircraft

Potential weight savings due to the use of composite materials for highly loaded primary structures are being demonstrated through the design, fabrication, and test of an all composite wing carrythrough bulkhead for the F/A-18 fighter aircraft. A one piece composite design which results in a 24 percent weight savings, relative to the existing aluminum bulkhead, was developed. Critical details of this design were evaluated through element tests, and a full scale prototype component was fabricated. The structural integrity of this design will be demonstrated in a comprehensive full scale test program.