Kaman to supply composite structural components for Bell AH-1Z helicopter blades
Kaman Composites Wichita has been awarded the manufacture, and supply of composite skin to core assembly structural components for the Bell AH-1Z’s helicopter blades.
Kaman Composites Wichita (KCW, Wichita, Kan., U.S.) a division of Kaman Aerosystems (Bloomfield, Conn., U.S.), announced on April 1 that it has been awarded the manufacture, and supply of composite skin to core assembly structural components for the Bell AH-1Z’s helicopter blades.
Bell has been producing the AH-1Z helicopter for the U.S. Marine Corps at their Amarillo, Texas manufacturing facility since 2003. All composite detail parts and assemblies will be manufactured and delivered from the KCW facility in Wichita, Kan. with deliveries beginning in 2019 and extending through 2023.
“This award further exemplifies Bell’s confidence in Kaman Composites Wichita as a leading aerospace composite structures supplier,” says Mark Withrow, vice president and general manager, Kaman Composites U.S. “We are proud that Bell has placed these flight critical components into our facility.”
Related Content
-
Plant tour: Albany Engineered Composites, Rochester, N.H., U.S.
Efficient, high-quality, well-controlled composites manufacturing at volume is the mantra for this 3D weaving specialist.
-
Next-generation airship design enabled by modern composites
LTA Research’s proof-of-concept Pathfinder 1 modernizes a fully rigid airship design with a largely carbon fiber composite frame. R&D has already begun on higher volume, more automated manufacturing for the future.
-
Combining multifunctional thermoplastic composites, additive manufacturing for next-gen airframe structures
The DOMMINIO project combines AFP with 3D printed gyroid cores, embedded SHM sensors and smart materials for induction-driven disassembly of parts at end of life.