Narrator: This is Science Today. An advanced laser peening technology developed at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory will benefit military aircraft. Lloyd Hackel, program leader of the Lab’s Laser Science and Technology division, says their laser peening technology will be used to extend the life of critical components on fighter jets.

Hackel: For example, the F16 fighter jet, it’s been serviced a long time, about twenty years and it’s developed some cracking problems and we’ve demonstrated that our technology has the potential to significantly save maintenance costs because we can go in on parts that have been in use. If we laser peen them, they will get a significantly extended lifetime.

Narrator: Laser peening can be used not only for maintenance, but also in the designing phase.

Hackel: To have a higher performing design, so you know it’s going to be more cost effective, so those parts don’t need maintenance after two years, they’ll go twenty years.

Narrator: For Science Today, I’m Larissa Branin.