In an effort to maximize fuel offload for the proposed MQ-25 unmanned aerial refueling aircraft for the U.S. Navy, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) has announced that it is using an integrated fuel tank structure.

Using its knowledge of advanced composite aircraft structures, GA-ASI developed integrated fuel tanks in a “large-scale wing box test article and a full-scale wing skin pre-production validation article.”

Last November, the wing box tested to failure via wing bending at GA-ASI’s structural test facility in Adelanto, California. In April, GA-ASI verified the production readiness of the co-cured wing and tail components, using both non-destructive and destructive inspections.

“The integral fuel tank wing box test article will reduce technical and schedule risk for the program,” says David R. Alexander, president, Aircraft Systems, GA-ASI.

“Specifically, through extensive validation of fuel containment sealing methods, advanced non-linear buckling finite element analysis models and thick composite laminate construction, we have accelerated engineering design consideration prior to the detail design phase and production.”

The MQ-25 tooling concepts, lamination approach, and processes were verified by a full-scale inner-wing skin demonstration article built in March at GA-ASI’s facility in Spanish Fork, Utah. Additionally, GA-ASI validated the outer mold line tooling approach for the build process, which enables accelerated engineering and tooling fabrication for the MQ-25 program.