BAE Systems

6th-generation fighter takes shape in Lancashire

David Learmount Uncategorized , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

British military systems manufacturer BAE Systems is beginning assembly of the sole demonstrator for the tri-national Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) crewed sixth-generation strike fighter. The programme, conceived a decade ago was finally given the green light by all three partners – the UK, Japan and Italy – two years ago.

Meanwhile, also early in June another planned tri-national (France, Germany and Spain) Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme involving Dassault and Airbus Military collapsed because the corporate and political parties to the plan could not agree on work-share and leadership. Germany’s president Friedrich Merz had also questioned whether a crewed aircraft was appropriate in a sophisticated artificial intelligence-directed future, and remarked that individual European states had different requirements.

As the planned European FCAS plan collapsed, the fuselage and aerostructures for the GCAS demonstrator were being put together at BAe’s plant in Samlesbury, Lancashire. The demonstrator will enable the company to trial GCAS’ advanced low-observable (LO) airframe characteristics, enabling them to identify design snags at a pre-production stage.

Later this year the work will be transferred to BAE’s nearby Warton plant where manufacture will take place. The company hopes to announce a demonstrator first flight in late 2027 or the following year. The aircraft’s Rolls-Royce EJ200 engines and its Martin-Baker crew escape system had previously completed testing.

Eight years ago, at the 2018 Farnborough Air Show, I attended a BAE presentation on the GCAS projected systems, and occupied the pilot station wearing a very smart helmet containing a futuristic virtual cockpit. I described the experience here, and predict what real military pilots will have at their fingertips. A pricipal justification for having a crewed aircraft in the age of accelerating artificial intelligence (AI) is just that: controlling AI output requires a human to be in the loop.

Learmount in BAE’s GCAS mock-up at Farnborough in 2018

In June this year FlightGlobal visited the Samlesbury site to witness BAE’s work. Tony Godbold, BAE’s delivery director for the UK’s broader Future Combat Air System (FCAS) effort, explained: “We are all excited to get this thing airborne, but safety and airworthiness certification is an absolute paramount for us to get right.” He says that the lessons learned though constructing and flying the demonstrator will shorten the time taken to production, and the length of the testing process. Operational service entry for the GCAS, to be called Tempest by the RAF, will be in 2035.

More detail about the GCAS programme is expected to be made public at the 20-24 July Farnborough Air Show.

The GCAS demonstrator shape emerges at Samlesbury

Unmanned cargo aircraft “on the way”

David Learmount Uncategorized , , , , , , , , , ,

A recent statement by the National Aeronautical Centre says this: “The operation of unmanned cargo aircraft (UCA) moved closer to reality as delegates from the aerospace and logistics industry met recently to discuss the way forward.”

Where did this come from?

“The unique initiative, organised by the National Aeronautical Centre, West Wales Airport, took place at the Lancaster Hotel in London, in the form of a round-table discussion.  It was a world first event and an important step on a road that will lead to unmanned cargo aircraft being used throughout the global logistics chain.”

It’s true that, for years, the industry has been talking about the practicality of freight aircraft being operated pilotlessly, on the grounds that the technology to do it exists, and unlike pilotless passenger airliners, the public wouldn’t care.

This group discussion reportedly included Thales, BAE Systems, Leonardo Finmeccanica, Avio Aero, IATA, Lufthansa, Heathrow cargo “and other airline representation”,  and the agenda included “a wide range of potential UCA operations from intercontinental air freighters to local deliveries by small drones.”

Ray Mann, Managing Director of West Wales Airport, said, “The past 20 years has seen the evolution of unmanned aircraft and although initially developed for military operations, they have demonstrated the means of having far greater potential for all sorts of civilian use. As UCA can be constructed in any size and shape depending on the task required, this first round-table discussion has been invaluable for both industries to understand how they can best respond to this growing demand.”

Global Head of Cargo at IATA Glyn Hughes commented that – while it looks like a great opportunity:  “For the full economic and social benefits of commercial drone technology to be realized the groundwork needs to be done now to ensure their safe integration with existing air traffic and infrastructure.”

The latter will not be a rapid process.

My personal guess is that, for large freighters, single-pilot operations will precede zero-pilot ops.

That idea could really be very close, because the aircraft can be fitted with a system that enables remote piloting of the aircraft in the event of the onboard pilot becoming incapacitated or needing help.

And as the NAC says: “The initiative is set to continue with further meetings planned in the coming months.”