Iroiko College of Aerospace Technology (Pacifica)

Iroiko College of Aerospace Technology

Department overview
Formed	March 28, 1977 (1977-03-28)
Type	Research center
Headquarters	Iroiko Technical Campus, Fuyunokora, Stelossia, Pelinai
Annual budget	◎346 million / ~int$1.2 billion (2023)
Parent department	KGU College of Aerospace & Mechanical Engineering
Parent university	Korolyeviya State University
Website	iroiko.kgu.edu.pln

The Iroiko College of Aerospace Technology, alternatively shortened to Iroiko vKG, is a semi-autonomous department of Korolyeviya State University (KGU) headquartered in the city of Fuyunokora, Stelossia, Pelinai. It functions as the primary center of postgraduate research at KGU into aerospace engineering and related fields, and is a major center of federally funded research into the development and application of new aerospace technologies.

Iroiko vKG was initially partially separated from the broader KGU structure on March 28, 1977 by state decree in order to function as a specialized research & education center that would train qualified engineers for the aerospace branch of the Belogoran military-technical complex as well as perform advanced technology research on behalf of the Belogoran People’s Army and various state-owned aircraft manufacturing departments. This relationship largely remained in place after the conclusion of the Pelinese Civil War and the subsequent replacement of the Belogoran regime with the Pelinese Provisional Government, and Iroiko vKG still retains its special federal support as well as many of its past affiliations with entities such as the Pelinese Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Education, Aetherdyne, Nanohi, and PelAl.

Iroiko specializes heavily in the fields of aerospace, mechanical, electrical, electronic, systems, and manufacturing engineering, materials science, and other engineering and science disciplines, particularly as they relate to the design and manufacture of aerospace craft and the subsystems thereof. Much of its practical research is conducted in close coordination with other universities, private companies, and government agencies, while blue sky research is typically conducted either alone or on behalf of a participating government agency.

Technical research and development performed at Iroiko vKG has performed an invaluable role in facilitating the modernization and qualitative advancement of the Pelinese military and industrial base. Many of its advancements in materials science, production technology, and turbine design have found wide application in Pelinese aircraft and related industries, as well as other manufacturing operations that utilize the same materials.

Major projects

Airframe materials

The Iroiko Center of Aerospace Technology is one of the primary centers for the development of novel aluminum alloys in Pelinai, as well as the only such research center that is not also a working aluminum manufacturer; it also performs research into the design and properties of titanium alloys, fiber-reinforced resin composites, fiber-metal laminates, high-temperature superalloys, and other aerospace materials, as well as new methods for the economical manufacturing and assembly of parts formed from such materials. It specializes particularly in the field of aluminum-lithium alloys, where it is a world leader in all aspects of their design, manufacturing, and effective application to airframes and other aerospace systems.

Belogoran and Pelinese military-industrial research efforts pertaining to aerospace technology have both placed a significant premium on the importance of materials as a fundamental determinant of aircraft performance, lifetime cost, and limitations, and Iroiko vKG has thus retained a large and well-funded base of metallurgical expertise and facilities necessary for research into new and improved metal alloys for aerospace applications. Specific areas of interest in published research by Iroiko include aluminum alloys of the Al-Cu-Mg, Al-Zn-Cu-Mg, and Al-Li varieties, titanium alloys, nickel alloys, and corrosion-resistant steel, as well as the integration of silicon carbide whiskers or other ceramics into existing alloys. Much of the research performed by Iroiko in metallurgy is performed with the active participation of outside partner entities such as Aetherdyne, Yunimashi, and PelAl, which provide practical expertise and feedback to inform further research efforts.
Much of Iroiko’s research into aluminum alloys is focused on reducing the final material’s density and improving its elastic modulus through the addition of lithium as an alloying element, as well as the discovery of practical ways to economically reduce the quantity of strength-compromising impurities like iron and sulfur. Many of the aluminum alloy formulations used in the structures of aircraft like the Ae-16 Fuyuhana were originally developed and tested at Iroiko, along with the techniques used to safely utilize them in conjunction with carbon fiber composite panels and other galvanic corrosive materials. The performance benefits and ideal compositions of scandium-alloyed aluminums have also received increased attention after their successful application in the Ae-16 and the opening of a new Pelinese scandium mine in 2015.
The increased utilization of composite materials and a concomitant rise in the percent titanium composition of both military and civilian aircraft has led to a renewed focus on titanium alloy systems by Iroiko since the beginning of the 21st century. This includes the discovery of ways to economically substitute aluminum components for titanium, as well as the identification of new alloys that offer the ideal balance between mechanical properties, cost of manufacture, and ease of assembly.

Controversies

Industrial espionage

Iroiko vKG is believed to be one of the primary recipients of technical documentation, trade secrets, foreign-designed armaments & engineering products, and other technology allegedly stolen by the Main Directorate of Military Intelligence and other Pelinese intelligence services, as well as a major link in the translation of such information from raw data to deployment in Pelinese military and industrial applications.