| Abstract: The Department of the Air Force's (DAF) safety community and airworthiness processes have relied on the AFRL Materials and Manufacturing Rapid Response/Failure Analysis (RR/FA) Lab for decades to quickly identify and mitigate the root causes of catastrophic system failures. This specialized lab capability provides critical support to the Air Force and Space Force by delivering root cause analyses and high-impact solutions to failures that occur during technology demonstrations, flight tests, system production, fielding, and sustainment. As materials and processes (M&P) are responsible for nearly 70% of system failures, this lab plays a vital role in providing unbiased, time-urgent research and analysis to support decision-makers and operators. The lab's expertise and knowledge, accumulated over 50 years, enable it to provide major impact, time-urgent knowledge, and trade space solutions to restore full military operations, prevent future mishaps, and accelerate system development. This briefing will review the ongoing need for this time-urgent M&P lab capability, highlight its successes, discuss the importance of transitioning lessons learned to prevent future failures and accelerate system development, and share some recently occurring M&P challenges that are now being supported for DAF customers.
Dr. Jeff T. Stricker is the Chief for the Accelerated Material & Process Solutions Branch at Materials and Manufacturing Directorate of the Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. He provides leadership for about 50 personnel, and manages the Rapid Response/Failure Analysis laboratory capability, to provide research support to high priority, time-urgent AF/DoD materials and process (M&P) problems. The breadth of capability includes structural and electrical material evaluations, chemical analysis, component testing and application of other relevant M&P technology. The Branch has extensive experience in mishap investigation, failure analysis, nondestructive inspection, M&P evaluation, rapid solution development, and technology implementation support. The Branch also provides M&P engineering support to the Air Force Integrity Programs and military/industry specifications and standards.
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Sincerely, Jon “Tom” Graves, DPAAS President |
