Military Avionics Systems

Ian Moir, Allan Seabridge

• Publisher: Wiley
• Year: 2019
• ISBN:
  9781119601005
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Aeronautic & Astronautic Engineering
• Index: Technology & Engineering

Ian Moir and Allan Seabridge

Military avionics is a complex and technically challenging field which requires a high level of competence from all those involved in the aircraft design and maintenance. As the various systems on board an aircraft evolve to become more and more inter-dependent and integrated, it is becoming increasingly important for designers to have a holistic view and knowledge of aircraft systems in order to produce an effective design for their individual components and effectively combine the systems involved.

This book introduces the military roles expected of aircraft types and describes the avionics systems required to fulfil these roles. These range from technology and architectures through to navigations systems, sensors, computing architectures and the human-machine interface. It enables students to put together combinations of systems in order to perform specific military roles.

• Sister volume to the authors' previous successful title 'Civil Avionics Systems'
• Covers a wide range of military aircraft roles and systems applications
• Offers clear and concise system descriptions
• Includes case studies and examples from current projects
• Features full colour illustrations detailing aircraft display systems

Military Avionics Systems will appeal to practitioners in the aerospace industry across many disciplines such as aerospace engineers, designers, pilots, aircrew, maintenance engineers, ground crew, navigation experts, weapons developers and instrumentation developers. It also provides a valuable reference source to students in the fields of systems and aerospace engineering and avionics.

1
Military Roles

1.1 Introduction

The military were quick to seize upon the opportunities offered to them by an ability to leave the ground and gain an advantage of height. The initial attempts to make use of this advantage were by using tethered balloons as observation posts, and then as positions from which to direct artillery. The advent of a moving and powered platform allowed guns and, later, bombs to be carried, which led to air war between aircraft, and upon ground troops. Thus, fairly early in the history of the aircraft the main military roles of observation, interception and ground attack had been firmly established. These initial roles increased in sophistication and led to the development of more capable aircraft weapons, aircrew and tactics.

Today the military are called upon to perform a wide variety of aviation roles using fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft. The roles largely define the type of aircraft because of the specialist nature of the task; however, there are a number of aircraft types that have been designed as multirole aircraft, or designed to change roles during the prosecution of a mission, the so-called swing-role type.

The military roles that are in place today have emerged over many years of aerial combat experience. The long development timescales of the complex military aircraft have resulted in many types remaining in service long after their original introduction. Consequently, aircraft have adopted new roles as a result of role-fit weapons or mid-life updates. Many of the roles, particularly the intelligence gathering roles, have persisted after combat into the post-war stabilisation period and peacekeeping operations.

The flexibility of weapons and methods of carrying weapons and the adaptability of sensors and avionic systems are what enables this situation to persist. Although many of the ‘traditional’ roles still exist, there are signs that the changing nature of conflict may lead to new roles or alternative solutions.

To a large extent these new roles and alternative solutions are being driven by advances in the technology of sensors and avionics. Ever more sensitive and effective sensor systems are capable of detecting targets, the use of stealth techniques increases the effectiveness of delivery platforms and the increased capability of on-board computing systems is extending and speeding up the processing of data. The existence of these advances in the hands of enemies spurs on further development.

Figure 1.1 Typical battlefield ...