Eli5 Why there are so many rivets on fighter jets and why not use welding instead?

Question

Eli5 Why there are so many rivets on fighter jets and why not use welding instead?

In: 3

Answer 1

Aircraft are usually thin and aluminum, neither of which are easy to weld. Rivets are much more repeatable with less operator error. Rivets can also be stronger and are much easier to inspect over the lifetime of the plane.