Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 July 2016
ACT embodying FBW and digital computing is nowimplemented routinely in almost all classes ofaircraft, and is often essential in achievingperformance requirements. However, careful design,thorough understanding, and attention to detail arenecessary if the benefits of ACT are to be realisedand attention must be focused appropriately amongthe issues to be resolved to ensure that developmentproceeds efficiently and overall costs areminimised. This paper introduces structural couplingas one of the important “details” of FCS design, andshows how the “state-of-the-art” has developed atBAe Warton in order to help achieve the performancespecification for a modern weapons system, whilemaintaining a balanced and efficient FCS designeffort.