Certification of composites - composite airframe life extension

This is a Notice of Contract Action (NOCA) informing potential offerors of the upcoming seventh call for the Composite Airframe Life Extension (CALE) BAA-RQKPD-2015-0001.  Call #0007 will be titled - Life Assessment Tools for Advanced Composite Structures.  This will be a One-step Call. 

The objective of the Call is to select an analytical model that assesses the residual strength of advanced composite primary structure within the USAF fleet at any point during an aircraft's service life, and to predict when such structure will no longer meet airworthiness requirements.  With the aid of such tools, airworthiness authorities may be able to more effectively assess the potential to extend the service life of such aircraft, and may be able to do so without requiring additional extensive testing to validate service life increases.  In support of this goal, AFRL intends to demonstrate the current capability of advanced composite life estimating methods, of all types, to predict the residual strength of advanced composite structural elements and joints subjected to spectrum loading in a service environment.  The effort will test the performance of life prediction models by using such models to predict the residual strength of a structure that has been subjected to repeated service loads, by performing realistic testing upon representative structure subjected to such service loads, and by comparing predictions of residual strength to the actual test results.   This will allow AFRL, the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, and US industry to assess the current capabilities, limitations and shortfalls of the models, refine the models as feasible, and identify development needs.  These results will be documented for US Government and Industry

This notice begins the timeframe required by FAR 5.203(e).  The AF anticipates releasing Call #0007 for a period of no greater than 45 days.   Do not submit any documentation at this time.  Offerors should continue to monitor fbo.gov for the Call and any BAA or Call amendments. 

This is a Notice of Contract Action (NOCA) informing potential offerors of the upcoming seventh call for the Composite Airframe Life Extension (CALE) BAA-RQKPD-2015-0001.  Call #0007 will be titled - Life Assessment Tools for Advanced Composite Structures.  This will be a One-step Call. 

The objective of the Call is to select an analytical model that assesses the residual strength of advanced composite primary structure within the USAF fleet at any point during an aircraft's service life, and to predict when such structure will no longer meet airworthiness requirements.  With the aid of such tools, airworthiness authorities may be able to more effectively assess the potential to extend the service life of such aircraft, and may be able to do so without requiring additional extensive testing to validate service life increases.  In support of this goal, AFRL intends to demonstrate the current capability of advanced composite life estimating methods, of all types, to predict the residual strength of advanced composite structural elements and joints subjected to spectrum loading in a service environment.  The effort will test the performance of life prediction models by using such models to predict the residual strength of a structure that has been subjected to repeated service loads, by performing realistic testing upon representative structure subjected to such service loads, and by comparing predictions of residual strength to the actual test results.   This will allow AFRL, the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, and US industry to assess the current capabilities, limitations and shortfalls of the models, refine the models as feasible, and identify development needs.  These results will be documented for US Government and Industry

This notice begins the timeframe required by FAR 5.203(e).  The AF anticipates releasing Call #0007 for a period of no greater than 45 days.   Do not submit any documentation at this time.  Offerors should continue to monitor fbo.gov for the Call and any BAA or Call amendments. 

This is Amendment 05 to Call #0006 for the Composite Airframe Life Extension (CALE) BAA-RQKPD-2015-0001. Call #0006 is titled - Predicting Airframe Stresses due to Differential Thermal Strains. This is a One-step Call.

The purpose of Amendment 05 is to answer a question received.

This is Amendment 04 to Call #0006 for the Composite Airframe Life Extension (CALE) BAA-RQKPD-2015-0001. Call #0006 is titled - Predicting Airframe Stresses due to Differential Thermal Strains. This is a One-step Call. The purpose of Amendment 04 is to answer a question received AND extend the due date of the proposals.

This is Amendment 03 to Call#0006 for the Composite Airframe Life Extension (CALE) BAA-RQKPD-2015-0001. Call #0006 is titled - Predicting Airframe Stresses due to Differential Thermal Strains. This is a One-Step Call. The purpose of Amendment 03 is to answer a question received.

This is Amendment 02 to Call #0006 for the Composite Airframe Life Extension (CALE) BAA-RQKPD-2015-0001. Call #0006 is titled - Predicting Airframe Stresses due to Differential Thermal Strains. This is a One-step Call.

The purpose of Amendment 02 is to answer a question received.

This is Amendment 01 to Call #0006 for the Composite Airframe Life Extension (CALE) BAA-RQKPD-2015-0001. Call #0006 is titled - Predicting Airframe Stresses due to Differential Thermal Strains. This is a One-step Call.

The purpose of Amendment 01 is to answer a question received.

This is a Call #0006 for the Composite Airframe Life Extension (CALE) BAA-RQKPD-2015-0001. Call #0006 is titled - Predicting Airframe Stresses due to Differential Thermal Strains. This will be a One-step Call.

The objective of the Call is to develop and demonstrate a method of predicting stresses that develop in structural assemblies of airframe materials having significantly different Coefficients of Thermal Expansion (CTE) when subjected to significant temperature change. Of particular interest to this effort is the joining of advanced composite structure to aluminum structure via mechanical fasteners.

The temperature range of interest is from approximately -70F to approximately 300F, but there are no absolute requirements for temperature range or number of temperature cycles. The specific composite material types and the specific aerospace aluminum and titanium alloy are free for the proposer to select subject only to the requirement that they be those of the identified baseline structure. Said simply, the materials of interest are those of the selected baseline, and the temperature range of interest is the operating environment of the selected baseline aircraft. The contractor is encouraged to select a baseline structure that represents multiple, contemporary USAF aircraft for this demonstration program.

The contractor shall select a baseline structure, which will be used to both develop and validate the analysis methods developed within this program. The objective of the baseline is to provide both a realistic source of design requirements for wide ranging operational stresses, from maneuver and thermal conditions, and to provide a framework for assessment of the validity of the analysis methods developed through testing. The baseline structure shall be some section of a currently in-service aircraft, and it shall contain at least one mechanically fastened joint joining an advanced composite structural element to an aluminum structural element. Key features of the baseline should be: The structure should include structural elements of advanced composite structure and metallic structure joined together using multiple mechanical fasteners of any type. The structure should be exposed to significant temperature extremes during operation. These variations may be: global (entire structure sees the same temperature variation); local (at least one part of the structure contains a "hot spot" that results in a different time-temperature variation profile); gradient (the entire structure experiences a temperature variation, but the temperature variation itself varies as a function of location); or a combination such conditions. The structure should represent structural configurations common to existing and anticipated future aircraft, and experience loading conditions commonly seen during aircraft operations. As much as possible within the baseline, a mix of fastener types is encouraged, as is a mix of loose fit, net fit, and interference fit tolerances. Other characteristics that may be desirable for the technology demonstration effort, but are not strictly required, include, but are not limited to; multiple metal alloys, including mechanical joints between dissimilar metals (eg, aluminum fastened to titanium) and bonded structural joints between any type of structural material. The physical size of the baseline structure is free with respect to all linear dimensions, weight, and volume, but the offeror is cautioned that the structure should be large and complex enough for significant thermal excursions to produce complex thermal strains and resultant stresses representative of major aircraft structure.

This is a Notice of Contract Action (NOCA) informing potential offerors of the upcoming sixth call for the Composite Airframe Life Extension (CALE) BAA-RQKPD-2015-0001. Call #0006 will be titled - Predicting Airframe Stresses due to Differential Thermal Strains. This will be a One-step Call.

The objective of the Call is to develop and demonstrate a method of predicting stresses that develop in structural assemblies of airframe materials having significantly different Coefficients of Thermal Expansion (CTE) when subjected to significant temperature change. Of particular interest to this effort is the joining of advanced composite structure to aluminum structure via mechanical fasteners.

The temperature range of interest is from approximately -70F to approximately 300F, but there are no absolute requirements for temperature range or number of temperature cycles. The specific composite material types and the specific aerospace aluminum and titanium alloy are free for the proposer to select subject only to the requirement that they be those of the identified baseline structure. Said simply, the materials of interest are those of the selected baseline, and the temperature range of interest is the operating environment of the selected baseline aircraft. The contractor is encouraged to select a baseline structure that represents multiple, contemporary USAF aircraft for this demonstration program.

The contractor shall select a baseline structure, which will be used to both develop and validate the analysis methods developed within this program. The objective of the baseline is to provide both a realistic source of design requirements for wide ranging operational stresses, from maneuver and thermal conditions, and to provide a framework for assessment of the validity of the analysis methods developed through testing. The baseline structure shall be some section of a currently in-service aircraft, and it shall contain at least one mechanically fastened joint joining an advanced composite structural element to an aluminum structural element. Key features of the baseline should be: The structure should include structural elements of advanced composite structure and metallic structure joined together using multiple mechanical fasteners of any type. The structure should be exposed to significant temperature extremes during operation. These variations may be: global (entire structure sees the same temperature variation); local (at least one part of the structure contains a "hot spot" that results in a different time-temperature variation profile); gradient (the entire structure experiences a temperature variation, but the temperature variation itself varies as a function of location); or a combination such conditions. The structure should represent structural configurations common to existing and anticipated future aircraft, and experience loading conditions commonly seen during aircraft operations. As much as possible within the baseline, a mix of fastener types is encouraged, as is a mix of loose fit, net fit, and interference fit tolerances. Other characteristics that may be desirable for the technology demonstration effort, but are not strictly required, include, but are not limited to; multiple metal alloys, including mechanical joints between dissimilar metals (eg, aluminum fastened to titanium) and bonded structural joints between any type of structural material. The physical size of the baseline structure is free with respect to all linear dimensions, weight, and volume, but the offeror is cautioned that the structure should be large and complex enough for significant thermal excursions to produce complex thermal strains and resultant stresses representative of major aircraft structure.

This notice begins the timeframe required by FAR 5.203(e). The AF anticipates releasing Call #0006 for a period of no greater than 45 days. Do not submit any documentation at this time. Offerors should continue to monitor fbo.gov for the Call and any BAA or Call amendments.

Amendment 6

This is Amendment 03 to the fifth call for the Composite Airframe Life Extension (CALE) BAA-RQKPD-2015-0001.

This is Amendment 02 to the fifth call for the Composite Airframe Life Extension (CALE) BAA-RQKPD-2015-0001.

This is Amendment 01 to the fifth call for the Composite Airframe Life Extension (CALE) BAA-RQKPD-2015-0001.

This is the fifth call for the Composite Airframe Life Extension (CALE) BAARQKPD-2015-0001. Call #0005 is titled - Impact Damage Analysis Tools (IDAT) for Composite Structures. This is a One-step Call.

This is Amendment 01 to the fourth call for the Composite Airframe Life Extension (CALE) BAA-RQKPD-2015-0001.

This is the fourth call for the Composite Airframe Life Extension (CALE) BAA-RQKPD-2015-0001. Call #0004 is titled - Demo 1 - Validation of Extended Durability Life Project. This is a One-step Call.

The Air Force Research Laboratory Aerospace Systems Directorate intends to execute a technology development and demonstration initiative to reduce the scope of the technical effort required to establish both the initial, and the continuing airworthiness of airframe structure manufactured from advanced composite materials. The program will identify and select, develop, and demonstrate technology which will improve our ability to assess and predict, and control the structural integrity of composite structure as a function of its constituent materials, configuration, features, and manufactured state, and as influenced by its known history and expected future service environment and loads.

The Composite Airframe Life Extension (CALE) program will concentrate on identifying, developing, demonstrating and validating technology that will allow USAF airframe structural integrity managers to safely extend the certified service lives of airframes currently in the USAF fleet that contain advanced composite primary structure, without widespread replacement of aged structure with new, and without repeating an extensive, complex building block demonstration process. The CALE program will identify and develop technology to know and/or predict the residual strength, durability and damage tolerance, and reliability of advanced composite structure throughout the original, and if required new service life of the airframe.