Industry News

The MQ-25 Stingray is designed to provide much-needed aerial refueling capabilities to extend the range of carrier-based fighter jets like the F/A-18 Super Hornet, EA-18G Growler, and F-35C. When this aircraft becomes operational, it will significantly enhance the combat radius of the U.S. Navy’s carrier air wing, according to the U.S. Navy.

The benefits of incorporating lightweight and durable composite materials into the design of any aircraft, particularly in a UAV like the MQ-25, are considerable, according to Bobby Rowe, Vice President, Product Management, Core & Engineered Products at Hexcel.

“In the case of the MQ-25, composite materials could allow for extended range and endurance, as well as increased payload capacity,” said Rowe. “Lighter UAVs can carry more fuel, which is particularly important in the vast expanse of the Pacific, where distances between operational areas and carriers can be significant. By reducing the weight of the UAV itself, more capacity could also be available for mission-specific payloads, such as sensors and other communications equipment.”

Understanding these operational benefits is core to the work of Hexcel’s product management team, added Rowe.

“When we develop composite materials for our military customers, we always keep the end in mind, and that is their mission. If products like our honeycomb core can provide our military customers an operational advantage, we know it will ultimately protect the men and women who go into harm’s way,” he said.

Over the past year, product managers and manufacturing and operations teams from the Hexcel Casa Grande, Arizona and Pottsville, Pennsylvania facilities have been collaborating closely with Boeing engineers to develop a honeycomb product that could provide weight savings, cost savings, and reduced manufacturing and delivery lead times compared to other materials, without sacrificing the performance requirements for the aircraft.

“The flexibility and thermal performance of HRH-302 make it ideally suited for the complex curvatures and increasing heat loads found in next-generation aircraft nacelles, and as we continue our testing on this product, we believe it can help our customers achieve their goals of improving the performance and affordability of the MQ-25 system,” said Rowe.

The HRH-302 honeycomb core material is currently under evaluation for Boeing’s stringent design and mission performance imperatives, according to Clark Miller, a Senior Manager of Boeing Programs for Hexcel.

“One of the things that has been so gratifying about our collaboration with Boeing has been the ability to prototype a solution in near real time,” he said. “We were able to quickly respond to their needs and provide a lightweight, high-temperature solution for the exhaust nozzle, which has been fantastic.”

Hexcel’s vertical integration and expertise in advanced composite materials is a key discriminator for Hexcel, added Miller.

“By producing the honeycomb core at the Casa Grande facility and then shipping it to Pottsville for machining, we streamlined the supply chain and enabled rapid prototyping and production for this new honeycomb material offering for our customer.”

Hexcel announced the development of the Flex-Core® HRH-302 honeycomb core earlier this year during the annual Composites and Advanced Materials Expo (CAMX), an event which showcases the latest advancements in state-of-the-art composites and advanced materials.

Flex-Core® HRH-302 is designed to sustain service temperatures up to 450°F, bridging the gap between traditional phenolic-based materials and high-cost polyamide solutions. Leveraging the expertise Hexcel has in thermoplastic resins, the product offers improved thermal capabilities while maintaining similar mechanical properties to existing honeycomb materials.

“HRH-302 represents our commitment to staying a generation ahead and delivering products that meet the demands of our customers,” said Rowe. “We’re excited to work closely with our customers to demonstrate the benefits of this new material on critical military and commercial programs.”

Cover photo: During a June 2021 flight test, the MQ25 T1 test asset transferred fuel to an F/A-18 Super Hornet. This historic flight marked the first time for an unmanned aircraft to refuel another aircraft during flight (credit: Boeing)