The UK’s Royal Air Force (RAF) is adopting a new approach to aircraft manufacturing by recycling old fighter jets into 3D-printed components for next-generation aircraft. This initiative is expected to enhance sustainability, reduce costs, and eliminate reliance on materials from sanctioned countries such as Russia.
Recycling Fighter Jets for Modern Aircraft
Robert Higham and his team at Additive Manufacturing Solutions have developed a method to recycle aerospace materials, particularly Ti64, a titanium alloy composed of 6% aluminium and 4% vanadium. The UK Ministry of Defence possesses substantial reserves of these materials, but they remain locked in decommissioned aircraft and outdated components.
Higham’s team successfully extracted turbine blades from a retired Panavia Tornado, a fighter jet that served the RAF from 1980 to 2019. These components were repurposed to create a nose cone for a prototype engine that will power future RAF fighter jets.
The 3D Printing Process
To repurpose old aircraft materials, the metal is melted and sprayed into a high-pressure jet of argon gas. This process transforms the molten metal into fine, spherical particles suitable for 3D printing. The uniform powder is then used in 3D printers, which weld the particles layer by layer, each as thin as half a human hair, to construct new aircraft parts.
“It’s a very straightforward microscopic welding process. It isn’t really anything more complex than that,” Higham explained.
Impact on the Future of RAF Aircraft
This recycled metal powder was used to 3D print a nose cone for an Orpheus jet engine, currently under development by Rolls Royce for the Future Combat Air System (FCAS). The FCAS includes advanced aircraft such as the BAE Systems Tempest, a proposed sixth-generation fighter jet designed for the RAF.
As manufacturing costs continue to rise, this approach presents a cost-effective and resource-efficient alternative. “The world is more expensive than it used to be,” Higham said. “We can make products as cost-effectively as possible.”
Sustainability and Strategic Advantages
Beyond cost savings, this initiative contributes to sustainability and defence security. By reclaiming materials from obsolete aircraft, the UK reduces its reliance on foreign-sourced raw materials while significantly minimising waste. This technological advancement exemplifies the modernisation of defence manufacturing, showcasing how innovation can optimise existing resources for future applications.
