Low Cost THAAD Interceptor Kill Vehicle Integrated Airframe Manufacturing Process

"As the THAAD interceptor transitions from demonstration validation to production, there is increased emphasis on lower cost manufacturing processes. The proposed program offers the potential to reduce the airframe manufacturing cost by 35 to 40 percent byeliminating almost half of the process steps. This will be accomplished by eliminating the step that attachs the heatshield to the substructure. The proposed approach will lay up dry fiber preforms of the substructure and the heatshield reinforcementfollowed by injection and cure of a single resin to form the entire airframe. Fabrication of coupons using the VARTM (i.e., vacuum assist resin transfer molding)process confirmed the potential to use the same resin for both the heatshield and thesubstructure. Tests of the coupons conducted at the AMES arcjet facility demonstrated the viability of this material to withstand the interceptor aerothermal environments. The proposed program will continue the development and demonstration of thetechnology using a building block approach (i.e., fabrication of coupons and extraction of key aerothermal and structural data), fabricating demonstration articles that can be used to assess aerothermal performance enhancement by stitching the heatshieldlaminate, and fabrication of full scale test articles for qualification testing in Phase II. The integrated airframe has two benefits: 1) reduce the manufacturing cost 30 to 40 percent compared to the