Fixed Wing Crewed Aircraft Composite Materials

At APEX Space & Defense Systems, we produce high-performance composite components for fixed-wing aircraft, including fighter jets, trainer aircraft, bombers, transports and ISR platforms. Using industry-leading design and manufacturing technology, our technicians craft radomes, control surface seals, fairings, ECS ducting and inlets, and other composite solutions that meet the unique requirements of fixed-wing aircraft. Our products are found on almost the entire USAF, USN and USM fleets. Whether you need design support or full production services, APEX can provide top-quality composite components customized for your application.

Composite Components and System Solutions for Fixed Wing Crewed Aircraft

• Surface Seals: Designed to maximize efficiency and performance, our composite surface seals help maintain optimal aerodynamics in fighter aircraft. These seals are hand laid up with precision and then machined with our 5 axis CNC machines that can meet the tight tolerances required by our customer specifications. We use the same CNC equipment as the OEM/airframer to ensure that our products meet the exact dimensions required for flight.
  
  
• ISR Nose Cones & Belly Pods: Our solutions are instrumental for structural, transmissivity, and aerodynamic performance of the aircraft. These are some of the larger products we manufacture and have supported everything from business aircraft, to fighter jets and military surveillance aircraft. Using a combination of honeycomb core, prepregs, RF and lightning strike materials, ISR Radomes are critical aircraft components.
  
  
• Fairings: We manufacture fuselage and surface fairings for a multitude of aircraft to improve flow, reduce drag and to close out gaps and junctions on aircraft. Our solutions are found on new electric aircraft, turboprops, transport and fighter aircraft.
  
  
• Brackets, Shims, and Spacers: Our composite brackets, shims, and spacers are engineered to be exceptionally lightweight yet strong. These components support a range of fixed-wing applications for seamless integration with existing systems and can be customized to meet nearly any requirement.
  
  
• Environmental Control System Ducting: We develop advanced composite components for Environmental Control Systems (ECS), including custom ducting, plenums, silicone bellows, inlets, and more. Our solutions integrate into new or existing systems to optimize thermal regulation, improve energy efficiency, and enhance overall system performance in fixed-wing aircraft.
  
  
• Helmet Electronic Enclosures: APEX manufactures elite-performance helmet electronic enclosures for fighter pilots. These "visors" are engineered and manufactured for ultimate performance without exception. We machine a hand laid up thin carbon composite component to exact dimensions and then assemble in compression molded stiffeners techniques to achieve an extremely light weight, tight tolerance assembly that electronics can be mounted to. The final product is a lightweight helmet that provides the pilot exception situation awareness in the cockpit.
  
  
• Secondary Structures: We produce robust secondary structural components that provide rigid support without adding unnecessary weight. Our secondary structures deliver reliable performance and maintain each aircraft's structural integrity under varying flight conditions.Secondary Structures: We produce robust secondary structural components that provide rigid support without adding unnecessary weight. Our secondary structures deliver reliable performance and maintain each aircraft's structural integrity under varying flight conditions.
  
  
• Other Aircraft Components: We produce and have produced many other fixed wing aircraft components including interior panels, equipment enclosures, winglets, and much more.  These items are uniquely manufactured to support specific customer requirements and expectations. APEX is adept at manufacturing a broad product portfolio from a small interior bracket to a business jet winglet and a single aisle sized nose cone.

 

Contact us today to learn how our fixed-wing composite manufacturing capabilities can serve your project. For all your custom composite component requirements, choose APEX.