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LOS ANGELES: BAE Systems' new 32-bit digital flight control computer recently completed its first flight aboard the Taiwanese Air Force Indigenous Defense Fighter (IDF) C/D version, also known as the Shiang-Seng Fighter.
The new flight control computer represents a substantial advance in processing power and control capability over the obsolete 16-bit computer it replaces. “This design provides important performance improvements over its predecessor that will result in a safer, higher-performing aircraft,” said Butch Hsu, senior vice president of Taiwan's Aerospace Industrial Development Corp. (AIDC).
BAE Systems has worked closely with AIDC, builder of the all-weather, multi-role IDF, since the program's inception in 1985. The flight control system has been improved in several phases, with the latest development contract awarded in 2002.
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“With this system, BAE Systems brings the state-of-the art 32-bit PowerPC-based processor to the flight control marketplace,” said Albert Lin, program manager for IDF flight control systems for BAE Systems in Los Angeles. “In addition to faster processing and computing capability and higher reliability, the new computer also integrates easily with the aircraft's air data, avionics, and head-up display systems.”
Taiwan's Air Force plans to use the new computer to upgrade to existing IDF fleets and on new-build aircraft. The upgraded flight control is part of an overall aircraft system performance upgrade that includes increased range and enhanced radar target acquisition, firepower, and flight control performance.
BAE Systems is the premier trans-Atlantic defense and aerospace company, delivering a full range of products and services for air, land, and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, information technology solutions, and customer support services. BAE Systems, with more than 86,000 employees worldwide, had 2005 sales that exceeded $28 billion.
