The Residual Stress Center of Excellence will specialize in advanced materials characterization and residual-stress analysis. The project is intended to provide more detailed information on structural wear and help operators determine when individual components require inspection or repair.
Lockheed Martin said the cooperation will support smarter maintenance and greater reliability for Denmark’s C-130J fleet while creating Danish jobs. The initiative is being established under the Danish-American offset agreement linked to Denmark’s acquisition of the C-130J.
“We have developed unique and practically applicable competencies for measuring residual stress, which determine how long a component can last, with a level of precision that has not previously been possible,” said Mikkel Agerbæk, Director at Danish Technological Institute. “Together with Lockheed Martin, we are now linking advanced characterization with concrete operational needs and shifting maintenance from statistically assessed requirements to actual measurements based on current history.”
Military aircraft maintenance is currently planned largely around predetermined inspection intervals, according to the Danish Technological Institute. More precise measurements could allow maintenance schedules to reflect the actual loads and condition of aircraft components rather than relying primarily on conservative safety margins.
“Teaming with the Danish Technological Institute will establish a world-class Residual-Stress Center of Excellence in Denmark, develop high-skill Danish jobs and foster a European hub for advanced materials analytics,” said Scott Carlson, life analysis fatigue test & residual stress engineer at Lockheed Martin. “Leveraging the insights from this collaboration will enable condition-based maintenance that will extend the aircraft’s service life, lower lifecycle costs and ensure that the C-130J Super Hercules remains the most reliable workhorse in tactical airlift for decades to come.”
The research will examine residual stresses around rivet and bolt holes, where cracks can develop in aircraft structures. The center will use synchrotron and neutron radiation from European research facilities to measure internal stresses without cutting into the metal.
“We determine residual stress that can either inhibit the formation of cracks or increase the risk of damage,” said Nikolaj Gersager Henriksen, Business Manager at Danish Technological Institute. “In aircraft structures, they therefore play a central role in determining how long components can last and how often they need to be inspected.”
The project will also examine the effects of Split Sleeve Cold Expansion, a manufacturing method already used on the C-130J to create compressive stresses around fastener holes. The Danish Technological Institute said improved measurements could provide more precise evidence of how long that protective effect remains and support decisions on inspection intervals.
The center will operate for 20 months from February 2026 and has been pre-approved by the Danish Business Authority with involvement from the Danish Ministry of Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organisation. It is also intended to build Danish expertise in advanced materials technology, create skilled employment and support exports to an international market.
Lockheed Martin described the project as part of a broader effort to strengthen C-130J readiness in Europe. The Danish Technological Institute said the center is intended to become a European hub for operational use of advanced residual-stress measurements in military aviation.
