Every single structural component of the Lancer, down to the nuts and bolts, was scanned, and then “reassembled” as a digital model before repairs took place.
The Rockwell B-1B Lancer has long been known as the “Bone” (B-ONE), but after nearly four decades in service, the Lancers could be described as having very old bones that require special care. The United States Air Force continues to go to great lengths to keep its aging fleet of 45 B-1Bs operational until the early 2030s, when the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider is expected to replace them.
Earlier this week, one of the Cold War-era aircraft flew to McConnell Air Force Base (AFB), Kansas, to undergo a form of “BackBone” surgery, where the bomber’s Forward Intermediate Fuselage (FIF) was replaced, with assistance from Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR).
A Digital Twin Image Helped Perform the Aircraft “Surgery”
The R&D facility, which focused on providing testing and certification for airframe technologies, has worked with the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) since early 2020 in creating highly detailed “digital twin” models that can help identify areas of the B-1 that suffer high levels of fatigue. From that data, researchers have developed a model that predicts future maintenance needs for the remaining B-1B Lancer fleet.
The digital twins were created by disassembling two retired Lancers that had been sent to the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona. Every single structural component, down to the nuts and bolts, was scanned, and then “reassembled” as a digital model.
The technology wasn’t developed for the FIF repairs, but the team was able to use the digital twin to replicate the portion of the fuselage.
“Digital is definitely taking us on a lot of twists and turns of journeys that I didn’t expect,” said Dr. Melinda Laubach-Hock, the NIAR’s director of sustainment.
“Certainly landing an operational B-1 at a university facility seems like a crazy idea, but we’ve been able to prove we can execute this repair,” added Laubach-Hock. “We appreciate the trust and willingness from the Air Force B-1 Program Office, and Air Force Global Strike Command to work with us in executing the repair on this aircraft.”
The BackBONE Project Could Improve Future Aircraft Maintenance
NIAR was able to determine that the particular Lancer required its FIF to be replaced. It is “a critical 33-foot component located in the aircraft’s upper spine section in front of the wings,” the Air Force Global Strike Command (AFSTRAT-AIR) explained.
The ongoing repair is being undertaken as part of the “BackBONE Project,” which was developed to “preemptively replace the FIF” on the Lancer as it reaches the end of its “durability life.” That helped the Air Force to determine that the FIF needed to be replaced on this particular B-1B bomber.
The program has also proven to be far more effective, reducing maintenance time and costs.
“The digital twin allows for more efficient manufacturing of parts, reduces errors, and facilitates better collaboration between engineers and technicians,” explained Joe Stupic, senior material leader and division chief of the B-1 Program Office, within AFLCMC.
“Because of our work using digital technology, I believe we can get the aircraft in and out of the [NIAR] hangar in under a year, which will be a significant cost savings for the Air Force,” added Stupic.
The same technology could also be employed to sustain other legacy aircraft, such as the Northrop B-2 Spirit and Boeing B-52 Stratofortress.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
