| MQ-9 Reaper Wings Container |
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The MQ-9 Reaper wings shipping and storage container (CNU-699/E) is a sealed, welded aluminum, controlled breathing, reusable container. The container is engineered for the physical and environmental protection of the wings and tails during worldwide transportation and storage. The container consists of a base, wings and tails cradle mounting system, and completely removable cover equipped with the special features listed below. The base is a one piece skid/double walled base extrusion with forklift openings, humidity indicator, pressure equalizing valve (1.0 psi pressure/ 1.0 psi vacuum), and desiccant port for easy replacement of desiccant (controls dehumidification). The extrusions that make up the base of this container and the ones integrated into the cover are new designs that maintain the usability and functionality of standard base designs but are stiffer in all directions. A silicone rubber gasket and quick release cam-over-center latches create a water/air-tight seal at the base-cover interface. The cover is removable with built in and fully enclosed forklift pockets. During cover removal, four corner guide posts keep the cover away from the wings and tails. |
| These fold down to facilitate wings and tails loading/unloading. The wings are positioned with the bottom of each wing facing the outside of the container to allow use of wing jacks, which is a new container capability that allows each wing to be removed from the container and installed on the aircraft with the same piece of ground support equipment. The cradle is designed to support each of the two wings at three locations along the wing surface and one location on a wing spar, each of the two diagonal tails at two locations along the tail surface and one location on a wing spar, and the vertical tail in a foam lined aluminum box. The cradle is suspended in the base by eight stainless steel wire rope coil isolators that protect the wings and tails, keeping the response from shock and vibration below the 20G fragility requirement. Each wing surface support location fully encloses the wing with foam lined and partially removable structures that are secured by cam buckle straps. There are three basic components at each of the wing surface support locations: a lower section that the wing is lowered into with the wing jacks, an adjustable inner A-frame support, and a removable L-frame support that is held in place with a cam buckle strap. The wing spar support has a post that interfaces with the spar pin holes; the spar is also tied down with a cam buckle strap. The diagonal tails and the vertical tail are positioned in the center of the cradle between the two wings. Similar to the spar supports used for the wings, tail spar holes interface with a post and are held in place by cam buckle straps. Two of the three A-frame wing supports have a secondary purpose to capture the diagonal tails which pass through the center of them. These two A-frames open in the center and are removable in order to access and remove the diagonal tails. The foam lined aluminum box that encloses the vertical tail closes securely with a cam over center latch. For rapid C-130 deployment capability, a retractable caster system was developed so that the container could roll onto a C-130 then, subsequently, since the container is narrow enough for a walkway along the side, the casters could be retracted to either set the container on blocks or lower the container directly onto the floor of the aircraft. This system was designed to operate under the full load of the container weight without any external lifting device. Container external dimensions are 430.0 inches length, 59.0 inches width, and 76.8 inches height (88.8 inches with casters lowered). Container empty weight is 5550 pounds and 6750 pounds with the wings and tails in place. |
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