AeroSteel™ is an innovative cargo floor design with a wide range of potential applications for both military and commercial air, ground, and sea freight industries. This program is currently an SBIR Phase II program sponsored by NAVAIR with the purpose of developing a new cargo floor for the CH-53K King Stallion. Existing aircraft cargo floors are heavy, with limited durability, impacting missions and increasing costs. AeroSteel™ panels are made of steel using an innovative manufacturing process, making them more durable and lower cost than composite and up to 50% lighter than aluminum panels. AeroSteel™ panels enable a CH-53K to internally transport a fully-loaded HMMWV. Modularity in the design improves the manufacturing process and facilitates damage tolerance and repairability of the panel. Continued development is anticipated to result in production of cargo floor panels for the CH-53K and other cargo transport applications.
