A Review of Aircraft On-Board Systems

in the Context of Energy and Power Management

Abstract

On-board systems in fighter aircraft are expected to deliver high performance under extreme and hostile operational conditions. As technology advances, system architectures are shifting from traditional federated configurations toward integrated and electrified designs characteristic of more electric aircraft. A range of architectural configurations, combining different power
sources and consumers, can each fulfil the required system functionalities, offering distinct advantages and drawbacks. To tackle this problem, energy and power management offers a solution-independent, agnostic framework for assessing on-board system architectural decisions with respect to their impact on top-level aircraft requirements. Nonetheless, a clear understanding
of the state-of-the-art and design sensitivities of these systems are needed in early stages of design. This study describes on-board system architectures and their associated trade-offs to quantify and compare architectural options available to system designers. It reviews on-board systems from both federated and more electric aircraft architectures, linking them to the aircraftlevel functions they fulfil and outlining key design trade-offs. The systems reviewed include flight control systems, hydraulic systems, fuel systems, electrical systems, pneumatic systems, environmental control systems, auxiliary power systems, emergency power systems, and landing gear systems. The review highlights that the interdependence and diversity of options of onboard
systems require robust integration frameworks that assess them collectively, rather than in isolation, to achieve a balanced architecture at the aircraft level.