Metals and Metal Bonding

E-2D

The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye will be the U.S. Navy’s new airborne early warning and battle management system and a key node in the service’s architecture for 21st century operations. The long range forecast for the Advanced Hawkeye is 75 a/c over the next ten years.

Aurora Flight Sciences has supported the E-2D program by building detail and component parts since 2000. The new design of the Advanced Hawkeye is completed with Aurora Flight Sciences supplying over 1000 metal formed component parts. Aurora’s metal forming process include waterjet cutting, routing, brake forming, hydro-pressing, heat treating, and metallic coating. Aurora Flight Sciences has also been instrumental in assisting Northrop Grumman (NGC) with engineering changes needed to support the first build of this aircraft.

Aurora's Bridgeport, WV facility manufactures a variety of metal fittings and parts for the Navy's E-2C early warning aircraft.

EA-6B

The EA-6B Prowler is included in every aircraft carrier deployment. The EA-6B's primary mission is to protect fleet surface units and other aircraft by jamming hostile radars and communications. The EA-6B is an integral part of the fleet's first line of defense, and will remain so well into the next century.

The Navy has contracted Aurora Flight Sciences to refurbish several component parts of the EA-6B fleet. In most cases due to the age of these components complete drawing packages are not available, plus tooling to support the build is either not available or in poor condition. Aurora Flight Sciences scope of work consists of;

Reverse engineering the component part either from partial drawing packages or scrapped damaged parts or both
Design, repair or replace the tooling necessary to support the part build
Build a first article for aircraft fit check
Certify the process and build production units to support the current fleet

Aurora Flight Sciences has leveraged the success of the F-14 Speed Brake refurbishment program and applied this knowledge to the EA-6B honeycomb aircraft structures.

F-14

Upper Speedbrake Assembly

Aurora developed a process which improved the lifetime durability of the F-14 upper speedbrake assembly. The process used improved materials and surface preparations. This was developed through a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract. The F-14 upper speedbrake assembly production included tooling design, tooling fabrication, non-destructive testing, first article testing, and production. The production team is capable of maintaining mechanical tolerances of 0.0005 inches and surface finishes of 125 RA and better. The inspection processes include water transduced through transmission ultrasonic C-scan and tap testing.

Mid Fuselage Cover Assembly (Turtleback)

Aurora was contracted to fabricate over 60 F-14 mid fuselage cover assemblies. This project extended from a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract. The cover is an aluminum assembly that includes processes such as stretch-forming, chemical milling, hydro-forming, and press forming. All tooling for the cover assemblies was designed and fabricated to meet the blueprint requirements.

Eyebrow Flap Assembly

A rapid prototype low rate initial production (LRIP) program was initiated to build F-14 inboard aft flap eyebrow assemblies. The eyebrow is an aluminum assembly that includes process such as chemical milling, press forming, roll forming, and machining. All tooling for the eyebrow assemblies was designed and fabricated to meet the blueprint requirements using rapid prototype methods.

Fuel Tube Kits

Aurora provided value-added logistical assistance to provide F-14 fuel tube kits directly to the Navy fleet. Aurora preformed inspection in accordance with our ISO 9001:2000/AS9100:2004 certified quality systems.

Transmitter Bay Door Assembly

Aurora's was contracted to provide technical, logistics, and leadership assistance to assist with representatives of both the US Navy and PZL-Swidnik of Poland. This is to support NAVAIR and PZL-Swidnik to produce a transmitter bay door for the F-14 aircraft.

Firefinder

The Firefinder System locates targets by using X-band radar to detect incoming mortar and artillery rounds and rockets. It then determines the launchers’ positions and relays targeting data to a fire direction center for counter-battery engagement.

Aurora Flight Sciences of West Virginia has been building metallic component parts to support the U.S. Army’s Firefinder program since 2000. Aurora provides many sheet metal parts for electrical raceways, machined and threaded cable shafts, machined knob assemblies, welded air inlet tube assemblies and ballast plates.