MQ-25A Lightweight Composite/Hybrid Nozzle

The unmanned MQ-25 flight vehicle enables extended combat range of deployed F/A-18 Super Hornet, EA-18G Growler, and F-35C fighters through its refueling capability and opens up additional mission readiness opportunities for tactical aircraft, which were previously encumbered with refueling missions. The current focus is on identifying and maturing manufacturing technologies and design concepts to reduce the MQ-25 airframe weight, enabling additional fuel available for offload to maximize this capability. One key piece of structure identified with significant weight-savings opportunities is the exhaust nozzle. The objective of this Composites Manufacturing Technology Center (CMTC) project is to develop and validate a lightweight exhaust nozzle through investigation and analysis of alternate materials and designs, concluding with a full-scale demonstration. The full-scale demonstration will occur on the most complex section to reduce risk for remaining design and implementation activity.

The primary benefit resulting from a material change and associated redesign of the exhaust nozzle is the airframe weight reduction, allowing for increased mission capability. Additional benefits include the potential for a reduction in lead time, which will be quantified during project execution, and estimated savings of $400K per aircraft.

Implementation activity consists of detailed design of the remaining nozzle sections and testing, details of which will be defined in the Technology Transition Plan. It is anticipated that design activity could occur in parallel to this Navy ManTech project to accelerate technology insertion, which is expected to be 1Q FY2026.

*Prepared under ONR Contract N00014-21-D-7001 as part of the Navy ManTech Program.

*DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release: distribution unlimited. DCN# 2024-11-6-309; Approval Date: 11/14/2024