BAE Systems has been selected by Boeing to modernize the Fly-by-Wire (FBW). Flight control computers (FCC) for the F-15EX Eagle II and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter aircraft. The FCCs feature common core electronics that support the quadruple redundant FBW flight control systems (FCS), providing the safety, reliability, robustness and performance required for the missions of these advanced platforms.

As the original manufacturer of the FCCs for both aircraft, BAE Systems will modernize the FCCs’ electronic hardware and software to increase processing power, improve cyber and product security, address obsolescence issues and ensure sustainment well into the future. The modernized FCC will leverage the company’s roadmap for highly integrated flight control products, which builds on technology investments used in several recent flight control upgrades for military air platforms. The F/A-18E/F FCC will also receive an additional processor to enable future capabilities for the fleet.

“BAE Systems is a leading provider of highly integrated controls and this upgrade reflects our commitment to providing our customers with next-generation solutions,” said Corin Beck, Senior Director of Military Aircraft Systems for Controls and Avionics Solutions at BAE Systems. “Our advanced flight-critical solution ensures these platforms are ready for missions now and in the future, equipping the aircraft to support the integration of new capabilities.”

These computers efficiently control flight operations by processing pilot inputs, monitoring the aircraft’s motion conditions in real time via onboard sensors, and communicating commands to actuators that move the control surfaces. The redundant FCS, along with the flight control laws, allows the pilot to maintain controlled operations across the demanding flight regime and multiple load configurations. In addition, in the event of a failure or combat damage, the FCS can reconfigure the aircraft’s controls by mixing the remaining control surfaces differently. The advanced FBW FCS allows the pilot to focus more on the mission and less on flying the aircraft.

BAE Systems has more than 40 years of experience developing and integrating flight control technology for military and commercial platforms. This flight control upgrade will be performed at the company’s state-of-the-art design and manufacturing facility in Endicott, New York.