Composites support military communications at US base

Composites are probably most famously used by the United States military in aerospace applications like the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber and the F-22 Raptor fighter jet. However, composites are also playing an unsung role in rehabilitating the corrosion-plagued support infrastructure of the military, especially in new communications towers.

Benefits offered by composite military communications towers include corrosion resistance

Corrosion resistance is a major selling point for composites when it comes to military applications. This is an especially sought-after quality in the support infrastructure of the military, which includes structures like communications towers and fuel storage tanks. According to a 2015 report by the Department of Defense, the annual cost of corrosion to the U.S. military was projected to be about $10 billion.

To help meet this challenge, the U.S. military is turning to composite materials and their superior corrosion resistance. For instance, older metal communications towers operated by the U.S. Air Force are becoming more and more costly to maintain due to corrosion. In fact, corrosion maintenance is the single largest maintenance item for Air Force communications towers. In order to address the issue of corrosion in these structures, composite companies are partnering with the Air Force to create a new generation of composite communications towers.

An excellent example is the 118-foot pultruded composite tower constructed at Hanscom Air Force Base in 2015. The structure was built entirely of corrosion-resistant composites, and it also used an innovative snap-together assembly process that eliminated the need for corrosion-prone metal fasteners. The new assembly process also takes one-eighth of the time compared to the assembly of a metal tower, which led to a significant cost savings for the Air Force.

It’s clear that composite applications like composite communications towers could be a major boon to a U.S. military that’s facing rising corrosion maintenance costs and tighter budgets. In fact, it’s very likely that composites will continue to have an ever-increasing role in military infrastructure projects in the future.

Composites One is the leading composite materials distributor in North America

Companies that are producing composite products for the U.S. military are especially driven to complete these products on time and on budget. However, these time and budget constraints can become a serious issue if you don’t have a reliable composite materials distributor.

Composites One is ready to provide the reliable composite distribution that you need for your business. We offer thousands of in-stock composite material choices from only the best suppliers. We also offer a reliable and robust distribution network that’s made up of 41 distribution centers across the United States and Canada.

Contact the Composites One team now to find out more about all the products and services we offer.