The Royal Air Force has fitted its first in-house manufactured 3D-printed component to an operational Typhoon fighter jet, marking a revolutionary step towards faster aircraft repairs and reduced downtime. This notable milestone was achieved at RAF Coningsby, where engineers successfully installed a temporary replacement part for the pylon assembly that connects weapons systems to the aircraft’s wing. The repair was manufactured at the Hilda B. Hewitt Centre for Innovation, which the RAF says is equipped with world-leading 3D printing and scanning equipment. 

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