Titanium alloy was developed successfully in the 1950s. Because of its high strength, good corrosion resistance, high heat resistance, and light quality, it has been widely used in various fields. Titanium was first used in the military field in the major military powers such as the United States and Russia.
The U.S. Air Force secretly developed the All-Titanium Airplane SR-71 Black Bird in 1959. Its titanium alloy usage accounted for 93 percent of the airframe's weight, which enabled the airplane to successfully break through the heat barrier and fly at three times the speed of sound while maintaining the airframe's strength. The prestigious F-22 and F-35 stealth fighters use Ti extensively in their body materials and engines, which makes the F-22 and F-35 superior in performance.
Titanium alloy is also widely used in the Navy due to its corrosion resistance and high strength properties. During the Cold War, the former Soviet Union used a large amount of titanium alloy materials for submarine hulls, such as the well-known "Alpha" nuclear submarine, which was the first submarine in the Soviet Navy to use titanium alloy materials to construct heat-resistant hulls. The depth of the submarine can reach 700 meters, making it a "big killer" that frightens Western countries.
With the rapid development of China's military industry, many achievements have been made in the military field. The most advanced fighter-20 stealth fighter Made in China uses titanium alloy beams, which are extremely difficult to process so that the fighter-20 body has an incomparable high strength. It is believed that in the near future, better titanium materials and advanced technology will be applied in China's military industry one after another, creating better performance weapons and equipment, and enhancing the fighting capacity of the People's Army.
