MAJOR STRUCTURAL MEMBERS OF F-22 RAPTOR
Spars(fin) Ribs(fin)
Firewall(dividing engine
bay)
Wing attachment
bulkheads
Pivot shaft
(sandwich
cons.)
Fuselage skin Wing root fittings
Canopy
Bulkhead
Wing skin
splice Wing spars
Stiffeners Ribs (multi-spar
Longeron Frames (aligned in flight construction)
direction)
Frames:
They are located at several stations of the fuselage of F-22. They are used to give shape to the
fuselage and to stiffen the skin by breaking its panel width for taking pressurisation and compression
loads(due to bending)
Bulkheads:
Bulkheads are used in the regions where there is specific requirement of transferring localised
concentrated/pressure loads or for isolating the engine compartment by forming a thermal barrier like
firewall. Wing attachment bulkheads transfer majority of wing bending loads to the fuselage and create an
equilibrium with the inertia loads due to mass distribution on fuselage. They are also used to support AESA
radar in the nose fuselage and serves as a closed shell for cockpit pressurisation. They support the nose and
main landing gears with support of additional longitudinal walls in F-22 aircraft.
Longerons:
Longerons are longitudinal members with high moment of inertia used to carry majority of bending
loads in the fuselage. They run along the length of the fuselage and functions as a beam.
Skins:
They give smooth aerodynamics shape to the aircraft for generating lift and reducing drag. They are
major load bearing members of aircraft structure taking internal pressurization,
bending(tension/compression) and shear loads. They are supported by other members of the support
structure for performing its role effectively.
Splice members/Doublers:
These are structural members designed to connect discontinuity in major load bearing members
like stringers, skin etc. They help in effective load transfer across a discontinuity and strengthen the overall
load path. Doublers are used to stiffen skin/wall cutouts and there by improving the load bearing capability
across a cutout.
Spars:
Spars are major bending load carrying members of the wing. This aircraft has a multi-spar
construction due to its thin aero-foil cross structure(of supersonic aircraft) and higher
maneuver/aerodynamic loads. They run spanwise and transfer the pressure distribution on the wing along
with ribs and skin to fuselage bulkhead. They also form a part of torque box (several torque boxes in this
case) for carrying the torque loads developed on the wings.
Ribs:
These are structural members of the wing designed to give aerodynamic shape and take local
concentrated loads from pylons. They are placed at different wing station there by supporting the skin and
increasing its buckling strength. They are also divide the fuel tank in to several bays reducing the sloshing
loads inside the wing structure.
Stiffeners:
They are local stiffening members used to break the skin in to several panels between
frames/Bulkheads/ribs etc. They increase the buckling resistance of the skin panel.
Wing root fittings:
These are machined brackets designed to transfer high local loads. They are used to transfer the tension
and compression loads from the wing spars to the Machined titanium bulkheads of F-22 fuselage structure.
Pivot shaft:
These are similar to wing spars but used on most of the control surfaces made of sandwich construction
like canard, stabilators etc to actuate the control surface and to transfer the aerodynamic loads to the support
structure. They are made of composites in F-22 aircraft. They carry majority of bending and torsional loads.
Canopy:
The canopy is a transparent enclosure that gives an uninterrupted view of the external environment to
the pilot. F-22’s canopy is made of dual layer polycarbonate material. Its carries cockpit pressurization loads,
thermal loads apart from withstanding accidental bird impacts.
