N112-112 TITLE: Innovative Energy Absorbing Aerial Refueling (AR) Hose

TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Air Platform, Materials/Processes, Electronics

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: F-35, Joint Strike Fighter

RESTRICTION ON PERFORMANCE BY FOREIGN CITIZENS (i.e., those holding non-U.S. Passports):  This topic is "ITAR Restricted."  The information and materials provided pursuant to or resulting from this topic are restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120 - 130, which control the export of defense-related material and services, including the export of sensitive technical data.  Foreign Citizens may perform work under an award resulting from this topic only if they hold the "Permanent Resident Card", or are designated as "Protected Individuals" as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3). If a proposal for this topic contains participation by a foreign citizen who is not in one of the above two categories, the proposal will be rejected.

OBJECTIVE: Develop and demonstrate an innovative aerial refueling (AR) hose that is capable of absorbing (without damage) the loads produced by a sine wave during a receiver engagement that was excessive or to a hose reel with poor response characteristics.

DESCRIPTION: Probe and drogue air-to-air refueling (AAR) involves extending 70 to 80 feet of hose to allow for receiver engagement. If the receiver engages too fast and/or the hose reel fails to keep tension on the hose, a sine wave will develop. This sine wave can produce overloads on the receiver aircraft probe with catastrophic consequences. AR hoses today are designed to meet the strength and construction requirements of MIL-H-4495; however, this specification does not give specific guidance on how to absorb energy. If the AR hose itself were able to absorb the energy of a sine wave, the AR operation would have a truly redundant system, greatly increasing system safety and availability. The number of receiver mishaps would be reduced by orders of magnitude, especially for our high risk receivers.

The critical issue is to determine how the hose can absorb energy but still provide enough control to sense receiver engagement and allow for proper hose reel response in normal conditions. The hose must be capable of absorbing the excess energy without transferring it back to the receiver or tanker aircraft. The hose must be a drop-in replacement for existing aerial refueling hoses and compatible with the hose reel systems in use today and meet the basic construction and structural integrity requirements of MIL-H-4495. Extensive modeling and simulation will be required to validate the dynamic response of the hose throughout the aerial refueling event.

PHASE I: Design, develop and demonstrate (via modeling and simulation) concepts for hose construction that provide for energy absorption. A validated hose reel model will be required that is capable of simulating hose reel response, hose dynamics, and receiver engagement. Develop coupon test methods for use in Phase II along with approaches for hose manufacture.

PHASE II: Produce prototype coupons for use in laboratory testing to verify the material properties and hose behaviors. Update the Phase I modeling and simulation results based on the coupon test results. Refine the hose construction techniques as a result of the coupon manufacture. Conduct full-scale testing with a full-scale prototype construction in a laboratory environment using the procedures developed in Phase I to verify the hose energy absorption characteristics. Develop Phase III flight testing objectives and methods. Verify tailored hose specification requirements via test/analysis.

PHASE III: Produce a production representative hose and certify it as "airworthy". Conduct flight testing in accordance with the objectives and methods developed in Phase II and transition the hose to the F-18E/F or KC-130 aircraft.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: The proposed technology would be applicable to all commercial aerial refueling companies.

REFERENCES:
1. MIL-H-4495, "Rubber Hose, Aerial Refueling" (hose design requirements).

2. ATP-56B, "NATO Air to Air Refueling Procedures Publication" (good reference to AAR procedures and equipment description).

3. JSSG-2001, "DoD Joint Services Specification Guide - Air Vehicle" (good reference for typical probe load requirements).

4. MIL-PRF-81975, "Couplings, Regulated, Aerial Pressure Refueling Type MA-2, Type MA-3 and Type MA-4" (coupling design requirements).

5. MIL-N-25161 - "Nozzle, Aerial Pressure Refueling, Type MA-2" (AR nozzle design requirements).

KEYWORDS: Aerial Refueling Hose; Sine Wave; Modeling; Simulation; Damping Layers; Rubber Hose

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

DoD Notice:   Between April 26 and May 25, 2011, you may talk directly with the Topic Authors to ask technical questions about the topics. Their contact information is listed above. For reasons of competitive fairness, direct communication between proposers and topic authors is not allowed starting May 26, 2011, when DoD begins accepting proposals for this solicitation.

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