A modern fighter can carry roughly 60,000 more holes than it needs. Every one is a stress point, a corrosion path, and a maintenance burden. Here's what a drilled hole really costs.
Every hole you don’t drill is a risk you don’t take.
Explore the airframe. Select a point to see which bonded fastening protects and what a drilled hole would cost you.
~60,000additional holes on a single modern fighter, if using rivet-retained nutplates instead of bonded nutplates
8 points to explore
What a hole really costs.
Each red point marks a place where a traditional drilled-and-riveted joint adds risk. Bonded fastening removes it. Tap any point on the aircraft to see the tradeoff, or step through them one by one.
Wing root / primary structure
Preserves structural integrity
The cost of a drilled holeThrough-holes create stress concentrations and force local reinforcement.
What it means for operatorsMore fatigue cracking, and added structural weight to compensate.
Center fuselage
Reduces weight
The cost of a drilled holeHole-driven design limits prevent optimal structural layouts.
What it means for operatorsHeavier airframes cut fuel efficiency, range, and payload.
Forward fuselage assembly
Improves cycle time
The cost of a drilled holeDrilling, riveting, and sealing constrain and prolong assembly sequences.
What it means for operatorsSlower depot turnarounds and reduced platform availability.
Engine intake
Reduces foreign object debris
The cost of a drilled holeMore parts and steps raise the risk of contamination and production delays.
What it means for operatorsGreater FOD exposure and increased inspection workload.
Aft fuselage
Reduces production costs
The cost of a drilled holeTraditional installation adds labor, tooling, and rework.
What it means for operatorsHigher life-cycle costs and extended MRO timelines.
Access panel
Simplifies repairs and maintenance
The cost of a drilled holeComplex hardware removal and resealing slow every repair.
What it means for operatorsMore man hours, longer downtime, and reduced mission readiness.
Outer wing skin
Prevents corrosion
The cost of a drilled holeBare holes need extensive sealing and coating to fight galvanic corrosion.
What it means for operatorsHigher maintenance burden and shorter part life cycles.
Empennage / tail
Avoids errors and rework
The cost of a drilled holeMisdrilled holes lead to patching, scrapping, and greater QA complexity.
What it means for operatorsMore rework, touch labor, and variability in field installations.
Drill less. Less risk.Bonded attachments reduce rework variability and safeguard structural integrity.
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