Navy tests 3D-printed fix to get fighter jets flying faster

The U.S. Navy is testing a faster repair method for fighter jets using 3D-printed composite patches designed to get aircraft back into service sooner. Engineers at the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division and Fleet Readiness Center Southwest built an additive-manufacturing approach to repair cracked composite panels on the F/A-18 Super Hornet at the base where the aircraft is stationed. The effort aims to cut repair time by roughly 50% once it reaches fleet operations, after laboratory and ground testing. The commands plan to flight-test the printed repair on an operational aircraft this summer, moving the technology from prototype to a real jet with pilots. Composite repairs have traditionally required specialized maintenance work and can ground aircraft until parts and artisans are available, sometimes taking weeks due to depot shipping. Officials said the process involves printing a high-performance patch from digital blueprints and applying it directly to the damaged section, followed by strict bonding, curing and inspection procedures.