Expleo anticipates the challenges and opportunities of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), the ambitious air combat programme that aims to protect European sovereignty in the years ahead. Shorter lead-time and tighter budgets will require unprecedented systems integration and collaboration.
FCAS provides a vision of defence and security across Europe over the next two decades and beyond. By replacing and upgrading current combat aircraft and military systems, the next-generation FCAS will harness advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), big data analytics and human-machine interactions that are interoperable and intelligently networked, cyber-secure and resilient.
The far-reaching ambition of FCAS presents both challenges and opportunities. To achieve the key objectives of cost effectiveness, shorter lead-time and game-changing functionality, there needs to be a complete transformation of how the industry interacts, designs, proves and manufactures next-generation concepts.
Collaboration critical to accelerate innovation and reduce costs
The need to innovate faster than ever and against tight budgets, will require unprecedented international collaboration and seamless system integration. FCAS presents a conceptual challenge that differentiates this programme from all precedents over the last 50 years. There is traditionally a very clear separation between different players, such as airframe developers, engine manufacturers and munitions manufacturers. FCAS will blur those boundaries – and therefore push the need for technology and systems integration at both a manufacturing and operational level.
Do you need an engine or an entire power system that goes across the whole of the airframe? Do you need an airframe or something different that integrates the munitions and the communications process? Are the munitions actually separate from the communications and the electronics and the avionics? These questions need to be answered.
Next to integration as a key enabler, interoperability will also prove critical for the success of FCAS. Manned aircraft will need to coordinate with unmanned vehicles such as drones, while air platforms will also communicate with land, sea and space systems.
The available technology in five, ten or fifteen years will undoubtedly advance at a rapid pace, therefore it’s inevitable that vehicles and systems will require many different iterations of applications and software to remain current across their whole life cycle. Ideally, FCAS will provide the infrastructure for the ‘final generation’ of air defence, as it will have the transformative scope to adapt to new digital technologies as and when they arrive.
The greater the use of software and AI, the greater the potential of being attacked by third parties. Advances in cybersecurity will be required to protect data pathways between assets in FCAS’ system of systems.
Reshaping the future of flight
FCAS will significantly accelerate the demand for critical traditional skills such as aerodynamics, airworthiness and structural design. The programme will also signal a wave of emerging skills like AI design, human integration with wearable cockpit technology, open systems architecture, as well as proof of concept applications in autonomy and intelligent networking.
Despite the current uncertainty around how FCAS will ultimately look and operate, there’s already huge appetite to be involved in such an important programme. FCAS has the potential to revolutionise air defence, not just in terms of technological advances but also in developing new ways of collaborative working. For those engineers and firms involved, FCAS is an opportunity to put a stamp on the next 100 years of aviation, which is an incredibly exciting proposition.
Unleash your competitive edge
The challenges of FCAS play to Expleo’s strengths, especially in the specialist field of systems integration. With 50+ years of end-to-end expertise across aircraft and mission critical systems, Expleo’s engineers have worked with major OEMs in aerospace from modelling and simulation to airframe design and analysis. Across development, manufacturing, in-service performance and monitoring, Expleo has repeatedly taken projects from concept to reality, finding new ways to reduce costs and time to market.
The combat systems of tomorrow will look alien to the way they do today. There will be an even greater focus on digital, AI and the software development side of engineering, all areas that Expleo has developed rapidly in recent years. As a true strategic partner, Expleo is ready to work in collaboration with major OEMs to proactively plan and implement key skills across the FCAS programme.
