Innovative Materials for Highly Loaded Wear Application in Arresting Gear Tailhook Components

Ferrium M54 is an ultrahigh-strength, high, toughness steel with high resistance to grinding burn damage, and stress corrosion cracking, which provides many technical and commercial benefits for use in the F-18 E/F/G hook point application over the incumbent 4330V steel. The technical advantages for risk mitigation, while extending the component life at approximately the same cost makes for a good transition demonstration application. This effort looks to complete the engineering change proposal (ECP) and design change notice (DCN) for approval of Ferrium M54 in F-18 E/F/G hook points, coating process validation, and material property minimum validation during the Phase II Base program as risk mitigation. Moving into the Phase II Option, QuesTek will complete first article production qualification testing and validation of robust manufacturing process through low-rate initial production. At the end of this Phase II program, the technology transfer completed herein should allow for NAVSUP to place purchases for the Ferrium M54 F-18 E/F/G hook points as an alternative to the incumbent 4330V currently being procured.