AS&FC Air also acts as the launch area for new programmes, with particular emphasis on potential Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) markets, and is active in developing business opportunities which can exploit Air Systems’ technologies and facilities.

In discharging these activities, the AS&FC Air Group has developed a set of key competencies in:

• Fostering productive relationships with Air Systems’ Programmes, Business Units Corporate HQ & BAE Systems Joint Ventures.
  
  
• Delivering complex technology programmes, integrating the efforts of people and skills from across Air Systems & the wider BAE Systems portfolio.
  
  

1. Strategy and Planning
The Strategy Group is tasked with setting out how Air Systems will meet the challenge of providing better products and services, often in innovative ways. These form the framework that enables Air Systems to cope with change in its market environment, and to develop plans that allow management of the business to meet its aspirations and objectives.

The Strategy Group have also developed the Air Systems Transition Plan which is the mechanism by which the key business improvement and change activities are co-ordinated and managed. Established in January 2003, the Plan is successfully delivering significant savings to the business. The focus is now moving to right-sizing the business together with a continued drive for profit margin improvement.

2. Future Offensive Air System (FOAS)
Air Systems are working with the BAE Systems Future Systems Group and the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), ensuring BAE Systems have a key role in the FOAS programme as it transitions through ‘Initial Gate’ into the Assessment Phase of the MoD Procurement Cycle.

The programme started as a manned solution to replace the Tornado GR4 capability at the end of its operational life (2018). This then evolved into the need to fulfil a Deep Strike Capability gap. Further understanding of the requirement continues to evolve in order that the correct long-term solution is developed.

FOAS will consist of a force-mix of numerous platforms and systems, delivered over time to provide affordable incremental capability enhancements. Elements of the overall solution will most likely be UAVs, cruise missiles and existing manned platforms, encompassed by a command, control, communications, computing and information system.

FOAS is currently in the Concept Phase awaiting Initial Gate acceptance so that Assessment Phase can begin. Current contracts being discharged cover several key aspects of FOAS including refinement of the Customer requirement, unmanned systems studies, system consolidation studies to integrate complex elements, technology development plans and technology demonstrations.

3. Unmanned Air Vehicles
The UAV Team is a multidisciplinary team covering all aspects of technology and design associated with autonomous air systems. This includes the ability to rapidly demonstrate new ideas, utilising rapid prototyping facilities and processes. It has strong links into the supporting supplier base and into the authorities associated with qualification and clearance.

It also has the capability to design and test fly demonstrator systems in order to demonstrate UAV capability and technology. This activity is centred around a secure assembly and test facility, enabling the team to be co-located around the product.

The UAV team work very closely with all areas of AS&FC Air, in particular with the FOAS team in developing and assessing the potential UAV solution for FOAS. The team is also considering wider UAV application in the military markets, including ISTAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance) application, and in the civil domain. A particular focus is the application of technologies to meet this potentially large market.

4. Operational Analysis
The Operational Analysis Team provides a Defence Analysis Centre of Excellence for BAE Systems and its customers, evaluating the capability impact of key programme decisions to the Customer and the Company, to help determine strategic and tactical decisions more scientifically. In the defence sector this necessitates the study and quantification of the factors affecting military operations, their interactions and sensitivities, and the application of these studies to aid investment decisions, force management and military operations.

Operational Analysis deploys a wide set of capabilities, which includes:

• Evaluations of relative military capability of equipment and services.
  
  
• Force structure analysis.
  
  
• Market and competitor analysis.

5. Technology Strategy and Partnerships
The Technology Strategy and Partnerships Team are responsible for the development of technology strategies and long term product planning, focused on the capture of external funding investment to facilitate access to crucial technologies. The Team also interfaces with external organisations on technology/research matters and creates and manages partnerships to support key future business drivers, including Air Systems’ relationships with universities.

6. Future Concepts
Future Concepts is a small team developing new ideas and concepts that have the potential to provide good business opportunities for Air Systems, beyond current programmes. Both completely new programmes and extensions to existing programmes are considered. Novel and conventional ideas are pursued, for projects large and small. Funding is sought from a diverse set of sources.

Initial concept creation studies involve capability/total system requirement capture, and high level parametric studies, leading to concept identification and design analysis. Aerodynamic, mass and performance evaluation can then be completed, with requirements and design iterations investigated as necessary. More detailed studies investigating various system and vehicle subsystems – e.g. propulsion systems, mission system fit, weapons carriage etc. are also done as required.

The skills and tool sets available also allow assessment of in-service air vehicles, and any required modifications, to be produced. This includes competitor aircraft as well as current UK based aircraft.

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