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ADPO10499
TITLE: Eurofighter: Aerodynamics within a
Multi-Discipilinary Design Environment
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TITLE: Aerodynamic Design and Optimisation of
Flight Vehicles in a Concurrent
Multi-Disciplinary Environment [la Conception et
l'optimisation aerodynamiques des vehicules
eriens dans un environnement pluridisciplinaire
et simultane]
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1-1

Eurofighter: Aerodynamics within a Multi-Disciplinary

Design Environment
By

Keith McKay
British Aerospace
Military Aircraft & Aerostructures
Building W3 OC, Warton Aerodrome
Warton, Preston, Lancashire, PR4 1UN
United Kingdom

Abstract

required were the ability to remain in control and shoot

accurately.

The art and science of aerodynamics have been

developing continually to meet the changing needs of
aircraft of all types. in many cases, combat aircraft design
drives this development farther and faster in the search
for improved combat effectiveness. One result has been
that an ever broadening of the individual but heavily
integrated aspects of aerodynamics into a set of
interdependent, diverse fields, covering fluid dynamics,

For subsequent conflicts, the same basic skills were

required, although airframes were better stabilised and
controlled and had increased power available, resulting in
higher speeds. With radar and radio, it became possible to
receive guidance towards the targets that the ground
control perceived as the prime threat. Weapons remained
visual range, however, but regardless of this, the
increased speeds and the added information changed the

structural dynamics, solid body mechanics, ballistics,

acoustics and more recently electro-magnetics. Together,

difficulty of the pilot's task due to the implications on his

situational awareness and choice of tactics. Increasingly,
the combat results became more clouded by the
interaction of the systems available to the pilot and his
ability to assimilate the information provided.

these individual disciplines are combined together into a

term sometimes referred to as aerodynamic technology,
as described in a recent Royal Aeronautical Society
edition (.)
This paper will examine the requirements placed upon
these disciplines in the light of the multi-disciplinary
design optimisation process that took place on the
Eurofighter project, specifically highlighting the roles of
the aerodynamic technologies within that process and the
lessons learned from their application in this
environment. The paper will also provide some
recommendations for improvements in the design
capabilities based upon the experience gained and lessons
learned from the design of the Eurofighter Weapon
System.

Introduction - The Need for an

Integrated Design Environment
The first air to air conflicts occurred in the Great War.
Here, aircraft were, for the most part marginal with
regard to performance, stability and controllability.
Indeed, many combat losses could be attributed to these
shortcomings rather than the action of the enemy.
However, some of the aircraft were regarded, and still
are, as models of the agile fighter, particularly in the

The advent ofjets, airborne radar capability, missiles and

counter offensive equipment have all tended to
complicate the picture whilst attempting to improve the
ability to perform the same basic tasks, i.e. finding the
opposition and shooting him down. Korea demonstrated
the benefits of high performance combined with good
handling, to the detriment of the Communist forces.
However, some lessons were forgotten, and had to be
relearned in later conflicts.
Effectively, the processes described above have resulted
in individual areas developing their capabilities for the
goal of increased effectiveness, all with the aim of
making the task of the pilot or crew easier to perform.
However, what resulted was a management problem
within the cockpit, i.e. each time a system improved to
make it easier to use, another one or two were added.
In the case of Eurofighter, the decision was made to make
the management of many of the systems automatic, such
that they should look after themselves and allow the crew
to concentrate on his tactics and operation, whilst the onboard systems do all the housekeeping. All of this was

hands of an expert pilot, or "ace". The basic skills

Paperpresented at the RTO A VT Symposium on "Aerodynamic Design and Optimisation of Flight Vehicles in a
Concurrent Multi-Disciplinary Environment", held in Ottawa, Canada, 18-21 October 1999, and published in RTO MP-35.

1-2

required whilst achieving new levels of performance and

handling of the aircraft, thereby ensuring that the crew
always have the upper edge in any combat or other task.
The environment in which a fighter pilot operates is
subject to continual change due to technology advances
and the altering world situation. The only prediction that
can be made with confidence is that profound change
should continue to be expected.

19,14-19

Fiynorg

Findfstsre
targetl

si

1939.45 1953 1990 1970 1990 1990

A concise definition of agility is provided by the report

from AGARD on agility (2), which states
"Operational Agility is the ability to adapt and respond,
rapidly and precisely, with safety and poise, to maximise
mission effectiveness."
This addresses the whole weapon system, but Operational
Agility can be considered as being made of three essential
components, i.e. the Airframe, which we will take to
include the Flight Control System, the Mission Systems
the Weapons. Our concern within this review is the

The Growth in Complexity of Crew Tasks in Combat

S......and

system has been designed to be blended and integrated to

make this achievable.

2000

Airframe and the place of the Aerodynamic technologies

within this design process.

Radio/...
________

FUR

Destroythe

The role of aerodynamics in this design optimisation was

one of enabling the levels of performance required with
the stability and control characteristics required for the

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tsasget

Roe

...............

_.__...__..

,~
0,R.D~erence

,,dli,,5

,, b"-soo
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b..bs

Rd,, C.............

The Eurofighter, now known as Typhoon for the export

market, was designed into an age where this statement
was never so true. The aircraft was conceived during the
latter stages of the Cold War, where the primary threat
was still considered to be the Soviet Bloc. Late in 1989,
the Berlin Wall fell and the whole scenario changed
politically across Europe. However, the various
programme delays allowed for a re-assessment of the
aircraft and its requirement, with experience of the Gulf
War and early operation in the Balkans feeding into the
military awareness. The result was that the need for the
design was re-affirmed with relatively minor changes to
the requirement being defined and accepted by the
contract reorientation,
The primary reason for the success of the aircraft design
concept lay in the inherent flexibility that could be
achieved from the combination of the technologies
employed in the aircraft and the integrated nature of the
aircraft-weapon system design. From the outset, the
aircraft was designed around air-air and air-ground roles,
and this latter role has been strengthened in the recent
past without requiring major upgrades to then design.
The whole weapons system design is driven by the need
for agility, flexibility and availability, and rather than
adopt a traditional approach, the vehicle and the weapon

generation of agility combined with carefree handling,

which has proved to be a major engineering activity to
ensure that this is achieved satisfactorily.
Whilst the work on the control system development is
ongoing, the level of manoeuvre capability and airframe
agility that has been demonstrated already is breath
taking.

The Weapon System Specification

Traditional
combat
aircraft
specifications
and
requirements were not really appropriate for the complex,
integrated vehicles that have to result from attempting to
meet the requirements. The more traditional processes
often arrived a set of aircraft systems that had to be
managed individually, rather than having an integrated
management. The very complexity of the vehicles often
means that decisions relating to the design options may
not take into account all the influences, leading to
engineering difficulties and expense later in the processes
of development and procurement.
There was a need to change the way in which Weapon
Systems were formulated. The concepts involved in total
mission system engineering and simulation have assisted
in the process of determining what the Weapon System
Specification should contain and in the design and
subsequent evaluation of the vehicle that results.
Eurofighter, as a project, has followed this integrated
approach and has been deeply influenced by the transition
from a more serial process to one of extensive
parallelism.

1-3

Processfor Determinationof the Vehicle Roles and the

Integration of the Technologies to be applied.
.......

Aerodynamic Technology in the

Initial Design

E.mine thepossible worid-wide theatres

and likelihood of operation

M..

Within the theatre, what tasks might be requied,and

whtmgtpovent
execution of thosetasks?

dda11
sp~cey

emphasis on these latter aspects as it does on overall

performance.

wa

Howmight the vehicle be sed?

What systems andperformancedoes

What was required was a method of defining the intended

role of the vehicle, then breaking this down into a series
of missions, then mission tasks, then mission task
elements. From these, it should be possible to establish
the interactions of the various technologies that can be
applied to the aircraft. One of these technologies relates
to the vehicle aerodynamics.

Eurofighter at Paris,1999

From the very outset of the project, aerodynamics played

very significant part in determining the nature
of the

vehicle that would fulfil the requirement to be met.

Whilst a considerable data base had been constructed
from the previous aircraft projects, such as TKF-90
in
Germany, the tri-national ACA study and real projects
such as X-31A and EAP (Experimental Aircraft

Propgramme), the Eurofighter requirement also added

something new. By changing the balance of the design
requirements, changes to the configuration were allowed
with a different optimum solution resulting.
A number of examples can be shown where this
integrated design approach was required and in which the
aerodynamics team played a significant role.

Aircraft Configurationand Wing Design

The requirement emphasis on a combination of agility,
low and moderate speed manoeuvrability and supersonic
sustained performance directly resulted in the choice of
the delta-canard configuration. Extensive use was made
of wind tunnels and CFD methods, as an integrated
design activity, to ensure that the design met its particular
requirements in terms of the aerodynamic performance.

Wing Planform Optimisation(1)

Approximate Pitch-upBoundaries
in relation to Sweep
andAspect Ratio
Aspect

"hRatio
100
(NSA
SORet1339

cc.

In the case of Eurofighter, this process resulted in a

Weapon System Specification being agreed and
contracted in 1988. This Specification has been subject to
continuous review, particularly during the period of
reorientation of the contract, culminating in a re-signature
of the contract in 1994 and the subsequent placements of

the Production Investment and Production contracts

during 1998 and 1999. The result is a total Weapon
System, i.e. an aircraft, its sensors, processing and
displays and weapons package, that is flexible, highly
integrated and supportable, with low life cycle costs and
high availability. Indeed, the specification places as much

40-

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Quarter Chord

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The design process required a closely integrated study

with the aircraft structural designers, with information
being regularly passed back and forth between the two
areas. Key decisions for both disciplines resulted from the
need to ensure that the aeroelastic stiffness of the wing
was achieved, whilst being able to tailor the stiffness such

1-4

that the required aerodynamic shapes were maintained for

both cruise and manoeuvre conditions.

relies upon the aircraft being controllable in a carefree

manner throughout its envelope of normal operation.

Wing Planform Optimisation (3)

Wing Planform Optimisation (2)

Effect of Pfanform Parameterson High AoA Recovery

Optimisation of the wing torsion box determined by aeroelastic

efficiency - wing bending v torsional stiffness for rolling

NautraStability,Frepian Off
C
h AnAeeco r
Margin

srMargin

Fla

ualAxis

.....
1

Ideal Twist at n, is typically 1t

Actual
Twist with conventional structure
is typically 8W

WingBerding
to LiR

iLDue

ie Relax the wing torsion box stiffness

Effetm 1 ,
TraiirngEdge
a S

BUT

Roll
Rate

OAdatoe

TSra

5..a

Wing trailing edge angle, flap position and sizing,

including the size of the powered actuation system all
result from the trade studies that were performed. This
required the integration of the structural model, available
via versions of Nastran, with aerodynamic models that
existed in a number of different aerodynamic tools. The
Nastran aerodynamic packages were not used as they
were not sufficiently advanced to cope with some of the
transonic and separated flow conditions that were of
prime interest.

OtStrear
rlse
Twrsr

Outboard Aileron

Instard Aileron

Velocity

Further, having achieved a satisfactory theoretical design,

the final step of the wing design activity is to take account
of the wing structure to arrive at the shape that has to be
manufactured in jig, in order that the shape in flight is
correct. This reveals a "less traditional" interface with the
manufacturing engineering organisations. Dialogue here
reveals what can be built easily, and allows a further
round of optimisation to ensure that the design is not so
demanding that it cannot be built.

Foreplane
Significant effort was placed in correlating the results of
the different aerodynamic design methods with
experimental data from early wind tunnel tests to ensure
that consistent results were being obtained, and that the
overall aerodynamics of the wing matched the
performance requirements and the needs of the flight
control system. This latter demand placed significant
burden on the aerodynamic designers to achieve as linear
a design, in terms of pitch stability, as possible. Past
experience from many previous projects with similar
configurations indicated that some level of non-linearity
was inevitable, however,

In regard to the foreplane, when factors such as aircraft

layout, access, visibility from the cockpit and the
aerodynamic interference with the wing are taken into
account, then only two positions for the foreplane remain
viable for further evaluation. These are forward and low
or high and aft, using the wing plane and leading edge
apex as a reference.
Extensive investigation over a period of years prior to
defining Eurofighter had shown that intermediate
positions were disastrous, regarding the aerodynamic
interference with the wing, due to inadequate separation
of the surfaces.

The demand for linear aerodynamics for the flight control

system is always present with every aircraft design.
However, there is also a view that, because the FCS is
clever, it can cope with very non-linear aerodynamics.
The phrase often heard was "never mind, the FCS will
take care of it!" In the case of Eurofighter, the level of
instability that was required for the overall aircraft was
such that linear aerodynamics became a much firmer
requirement, together with good aerodynamics from the
flying controls. The whole success of the aircraft concept

Consideration of aircraft performance dictates the

maximum possible instability to avoid excessive induced
drag penalties, which leads to the requirement for
foreplane volume. The minimum induced drag occurs
with a level of instability equivalent to about 16% of the
mean aerodynamic chord, which is approximately twice
that that the FCS can cope with. The high AoA recovery,
i.e. the ability to pitch the aircraft down from high angle
of attack, whilst at low speeds, dictates that the
configuration should be neutrally stable with the

1-5
foreplane off, which is equivalent almost to an unloaded
foreplane. This dictates that the foreplane volume has to
be such as to generate around 8% m.a.c. instability at low
speeds. A low forward foreplane position then results in
the smallest foreplane
sup rs area,
ni d with
rag a consequent benefit on
supersonic drag.

Drao v Aircraft Instability

dinto

Thedifference
is typiallywoth
1 deg.,-(sen.ad STRat 065WM
SealLevel

AftF.--,

Ma- Aft CO.G

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Aft

FuselageShaping
One of the
key drivers
thze
r v r for
f r good
g o sustained
u t in d supersonic
s p r o i
performance derives from the combination of stability
level and flap or foreplane angles to trim. Clearly, the
wing itself has a significant contribution, but a major
effect comes from the fuselage itself. Recognising this as
a result of experience flying EAP, significant effort went
developing a capability to predict the effect of the
fuselage effective camber shape on the zero lift pitching

Choice of Foreplane Location (1)

DragInduced
Drag
InducedInduce
Ci
0

model all of the aerodynamic interference did not exist

within the CFD modelling capability in use at the time.

1
Statc Instablity%MA.C.
V.IAvSea Level

Further, at the level of instability chosen for the aircraft,

there was little effect on maximum lift of either position,
whilst for a less unstable aircraft, a high aft foreplane
does provide some benefit on lift. Further, the low
forward foreplane is more effective as a control surface,
with consequent benefit for nosewheel lift, trim and
manoeuvre capability. This increase in effectiveness is
maintained, even at high angle of attack, where the effect
is to provide more pitch recovery capability for high
angle of attack recovery.

m om ent.
EAP had shown a significant change in this term as the
Mach number increased through M=1.0, with consequent
larger flap angles required to trim than had been desired.
To avoid this with Eurofighter, significant effort was
placed on modelling the aerodynamics using CFD
methods. Design changes were restricted to the wing root
camber and overall fuselage camber, within the
constraints provided by the need for good vision from the
cockpit and the chosen chin intake configuration and the
need to minimise the basic form drag of the aircraft.
These changes were then evaluated via wind tunnel test at
transonic speeds, before finalising the aircraft lines for
build.

Optimisationof the Overall Aircraft Camber

Zero Lift Pitching Moment, All controls neutral
Change from EAP to Eurofrghter due to body and wing root optimisatfon

C00

Choice of ForeplaneLocation (2)

-ai

Td

1 00?

002

d Li-t07
C

ontrol
Powr

Recvey Po

EAP, Wind Tunnel data

1~l"%\

- -- --

EF, Wind Tunnel Data

ra

C,. ...

EF, Flight Test

Mach No

r-

~
..............

e..........f-pla.

Interestingly, even with this effort, this has still proven to

be an area where the aircraft in flight is slightly different

to prediction, although the discrepancy is a fraction of

that noted on EAP.

Hence, with all these considerations, the foreplane

position used on Eurofighter was chosen. It is to be noted
that most of this particular design optimisation was

Fin design

performed from an experimental data base using

empirical techniques, as adequate capability to fully

there has been a debate about the number of fins. The

early configuration studies examined both single and twin

From the early days of the configuration development,

1-6

fins, but eventually the single fin was found to be the best
optimum in terms of structural mass, drag, adverse flapfin interaction for roll control transonically and effects on

the aircraft. It was possible to consider packing the

Eurorighter

Illustrationof the Weapon PackingDensity

stability and lift.

However, this still left a decision as to whether the
aircraft should adopt an all flying fin, or a more
conventional fixed fin and rudder. The fin is sized by the
directional stability requirement for flight at M=2.0. In
the trade studies that followed, it became apparent that
the fixed fin, because of its much greater structural
efficiency, was smaller and lighter. Had control power

...

been the more dominant requirement, then the all moving

fin would have provided the better optimum.
In the end, the fixed fin and rudder was confirmed. The
decision was again driven by the balance between
reduced drag anId greater control power, which would
have been provided by a smaller all moving fin, against
the aeroelastic stiffness problems it introduced in
achieving the stability requirement, together with the size
actuation system required.
However, the rudder is still the largest control actuator on
the aircraft.
It should be said that there were some engineers, who had
worked on the BAC TSR-2 project which was cancelled
in 1966, who were extremely relieved at the outcome,
despite the advances in technology that had taken place,
due to concerns with that design over the structural
coupling. Past experience suggested the likely outcome

weapons together more densely and to reduce the amount

of basic wind tunnel testing that was to be planned into
outset. roven
Further, the
theoel
programme
from thease
pevo us
renthaerodynamic
esses
pro
projects, had shown that the need for such test techniques
as twin sting rigs, or for wind tunnel measurement of
external flow fields, were no longer essential. As a direct
consequence, all flow field data is generated via CFD
calculation. The only test evidence that is now used are
the installed loads data, or, in the case of missiles, loads
measured at the end of stroke or end of rail positions.

Eurofighter

Configured with Air-Ground &Air Weapons

from the start, and even with the advances in materials for
the aircraft structure, improved actuation systems and
design techniques, the conventional fin is best, and that
the all flying fin represented an unacceptable risk for the
project, at least from this aspect.

Weapons Layouts
Whilst Eurofighter initially was thought of as an Air
Superiority Fighter, it has always had a ground attack
requirement, which is becoming stronger with time with
all the partners Nations. One advantage of the
configuration is that it provides a very large flying
surface for the weapons engineers to hang a lot of
external ordnance upon. This allows for a large number
of weapon stations, and permits the aircraft to carry its
Air-Air (A-A) and Air-Surface (A-S) weapons at the

same timne.
Improvements were being made in the ability to model
weapons trajectories in the early phase of the release from

.
.

The Changing World

As the project moved through its Development Phase into
the Flight Test Phase, and activity started to build up
towards Production, a number of significant changes have
come about to the world in which the aircraft was to
operate. The Berlin Wall caine down; there were
numerous conflicts and a change in role for the Air
Forces of the Nations within NATO. The role of the
aircraft was reconfirmed, with an increased emphasis

1-7
being placed on the A-S capability, with the requirement
moving to a very much more flexible aircraft, capable of
operating autonomously for extended periods,
These changes do not affect the aerodynamics of the
vehicle itself, but do have a very significant impact on the
aerodynamicists involved in the project, and indeed upon
every other engineer involved within the Eurofighter
project and across all partner companies. The changes
affect the way in which the engineers work, which in
turn, impacts back onto what they have to do.

No longer could any area work in isolation from the other

areas of the team. Affordability became a key driver for
all the engineering and manufacturing areas, changing the
working processes employed. This change is the move
from the old cost plus environinent, where everyone was
paid for the work they did, to a fixed price contract
structure, with both penalties and incentives. This has
forced the adoption of parallel working in Integrated
Product Teams, changing both the technical processes
that are used and the management and leadership skills
that are required to deliver the results.
Achievement of the recently placed Production
Investment and Production contracts by the four Nations

The aerodynamic technologies, which relate to optimising

the design or installation, completing the design data and
then generating the appropriate flight clearances have
required significant modernisation and adaptation in order
to be able to contribute to the overall integrated product.
Two main areas can be considered where the change can
best be described, namely in the Processes involved in the
technical work and in the management of the integrated
product teams.

Process Changes
Toaxss

fornte p

To maxim-ise support for the project activity, dedicated

project teams have been established. These teams are
broken down into product based teams, populated with
members drawn from those areas that have to work
together to achieve a final, deliverable product. All the
team members are focussed on delivery of their
individual products to the project stream. This has
resulted in significant changes to both the tool sets that
are employed and to the development of concurrent
supported by
management practices,
engineering
excellent modelling environments.

Technical Processes

is totally dependent on the success of implementing the

changed working practices, tool-sets and behaviours of
the people involved in the project, wherever they work
within the Customer - Supply chain,
This chain of events is set to continue throughout the life
of the project, with every Customer and with every
Supplier

The Changing Role of the

Aerodynamic Technologies
As the project has developed with time, the role of the
Aerodynamics specialists has changed, to meet the
demands that have been placed upon the project by both
the Customer and Industry. This situation is continually
developing and is likely to increase the pace of change as
the Customer base for the project increases,
The project is moving to a vision of being able to respond
to changes in Customer needs on a regular basis,
particularly as the need to integrate new weapons
increases. This drives a range of Airframe related
activities and the associated changes in Avionics or Flight
Control System.

A key change that has occurred with the production

activities is the change from a drawing based
environment to an electronic product definition, with the
concurrent activities requiring major attention to
configuration control and release of data. This has
enabled a change to the total process of design and
manufacture, with the ability for the design teams to
interact directly with the product being manufactured. To
meet the challenges that this environment has posed, new
working environments have been developed. This new
environment is known as the Integrated Product
Development (IPD) Process.
This process, supported by a software based configuration
management tool, Product Manager, is becoming the
established means of controlling the output of all
engineering tasks on the project. Initial work with the
process focussed upon the creation of the replacement for
the traditional drawing sets, with all designers and the
manufacturers having access to the data concurrently, but
only able to use it for its defined purpose once formally
released electronically. This is now being extended to
cover the functional aspects of the design, such that the
data pertaining to all the aircraft systems, which include
all the aerodynamic "discipline" based systems, are all
included. Hence all the design calculations, clearance
calculations and performance verification data are to be

1-8

included within this tool, either directly or with a

controlled reference, with consequent immediate access
for all to properly configured data.

development of the management processes, in order to

provide adequate support for the activities and their
implications for individual team members.

Currently, this is being extended to cover, not just the

form and fit of the individual systems, but also the
function of each of the systemns. This tool will form the
environment for management and control all of the data
used for qualification, certification and verification of
performance against the contracted levels. Any changes
that occur in any of the data within the system has to be
approved by the relevant stake holders before the data can
go live, but it then goes live immediately to all potential
users.

Whilst team performance has been the required end result

of the changes, to ensure that this is achieved requires a
number of supporting actions to be put in place. This has
resulted in significant re-thinking of exactly how such
teams are led and managed, how they interact with their
Customers and Suppliers, and the need to generate the
involvement of the team in implementation of the
changes that result.

The use of desk-top processing, as opposed to the

mainframe environment that existed on previous projects,
has enabled the development of a new generation of
engineering tools. The key drivers have been towards the
development of interactive tools capable of producing
their answers quickly, such that the engineers can develop
the next step in the design quickly, as required by the
parallel working practice now in use. In many cases, this
has simply meant the porting of existing software tools
into the new desk-top environment, but for some areas,
completely new tool sets have been required.

The basis for the changes derives from the consideration

of the five BAe Company values, as outlined in the
BenchmarkBAe corporate cultural change programme
and as recently described by the company chairman in his
recent book(4 ), viz:
>
>
>

>

Customers - our highest priority.

People - our greatest strength.
Performance -the key to winning.
Partnerships - our future.
Innovation - our competitive edge.

The BenchmarkBAe Values at Work

As an example, further advances have been required in
the analysis tools for extraction of the flight data.
Experience with EAP had shown that the traditional
Parameter Identification tools in use at BAe could no
longer cope with an aircraft with a high level of basic
instability combined with aerodynamic non-linearity, as
experienced on Eurofighter and as predicted from wind
tunnel testing. As identification of the aircraft remains a
key to the final verification of many of the defined
requirements, particularly relating to handling and
performance, a capable tool was an essential requirement.
This has lead to the development of regression techniques
within Bae. These are now being applied successfully to a
number of issues, with an example being described in a
recent RTO Systems Integration Conference in Madrid3 .
Such techniques apply throughout the vehicle design and
clearance cycle, and even into the flight test data analysis,
where Eurofighter has brought its own specific challenges
to the ability to derive data from flight measured
relating
parameters.

Management Processes
The changes that have been required of the processes and
the team members have also required significant

(The concept of Team Based Value Planning)

Customers

Partnerships

Performance

People

Innovation

& Technology

Benchmark drives thinking about behaviours related to

each of the values, especially how any individual
behaviour impacts upon those around that individual.
Using an approach to planning tasks which addresses all
of these values, the teams develop the overall plan of the
work to be undertaken. Consideration of each of these
values, for each major task, asks a series of questions that
should be answered in the total plan
being developed.
Further, the process adds an ability to put the required
events in the right order. Some of the issues that the
approach would raise are obvious, but all too often in the
past, it is the least obvious, softer, people management
issues that are not considered and that cause a change-

1-9

process to fail. The process is referred to as Team Based

Value Planning, and it is a major enabler to the
achievement of a rigorous Earned Value Management
System that is now being deployed across the project.
Role out of these techniques is taking place within all the
teams operating on the Eurofighter project within BAe,
and the key to success is the embedding of this approach
without the team requiring conscious effort to achieve it.
This will come with practice, but even thinking
consciously through the questions that the values pose
can lead to significant improvements in the overall team
management and ability to meet the demands being
placed upon them by Customers.

BenchmarkBAe - Achieving Customer Excellence

* The ACE Tool-A simple self-assessment tool for use within all

This leads to the development of user friendly front ends

appropriate to the application. The days of taking months
to set up geometry definitions for use in CFD
calculations, as part of the normal working environment,
are over in such a team.
There are areas where significant technique development
is required.
One of the major concerns that remains is the ability to
adequately predict the effects of unsteady aerodynamics,
particularly due to aerodynamic separation and the large
extent of the vortex flows that develop at high angles of
attack. The areas of concern relate to being adequately
model buffet loading, on the aircraft and the weapons it
carries, to improving the modelling of the aero-servoelastic characteristics to minimise the loss of phase that
the current generations of filters can introduce into the
flight control system.

Projectand ProductTeams

I
Identify
the Customer- do we really knowwho this Is and what he
wants?
-

Whee

am weIn terms of the service provlded?

- Whedo we....d to be?

*

has necessitated the development of very

sophisticated flight analysis techniques, in order to enable
a satisfactory resolution of the flight data, essential for

verification of the aircraft models upon which flight

Developa Customer Strategy and CustomerCare Plan

- Establish the contact maps
-

Establishmetrics agreed wlth the customer and measure the teams

own performance against these

How do we handle complaints?

Further Capability Development to

support an Ivntegrated
Team Environment

The aerodynamic non-linearity that was seen in the wind

tunnel

Product

clearance development and verification of performance

based.

are

One of the major, pleasant surprises has continued to be

just how good a representation of the aircraft has been
achieved in the wind tunnel modelling of the aircraft,
especially regarding the non-linear behaviour.
is also clear, that there is much more than the
development of the required tools required for the success

A number of lessons have been learned froom the design

processes of the Eurofighter. In particular, the work
stressed the need for a balanced and combined application
of experimental methods, prediction techniques, whether
based upon empirical data analysis or upon more
sophisticated aerodynamic CFD modelling, as well as
experience. The drive for faster turn around of change
leads to the requirements for easy-to-use tools that enable
the engineers to think about the job and not become
experts in dealing with the quirks of an unfriendly piece
of software.

of a multi-disciplinary team. A major aspect remains the

personal development of the teams and the personnel to
take part in the teams. A key issue hinges around the
encouragement of individuals to realise that they can do
far more than their specialist knowledge might indicate,
and that the best people to support them are the other
team members, as well as their functional departments or
home disciplines.

Traditionally, many of the tools in use were developed for

dedicated tasks. What is now occurring, is a move to
more generic tools that cope with a multitude of different,
but related tasks. The applications are then driven by the
requirements of the user, with the possibility of
customising the user interface for a specific application.

aerodynamic engineers from the very outset of the project

design, across all of the partner companies involved in the
project. Examples have been shown of the nature of some
of the design decisions in which the role of the
aerodynamicist has been a key.

Concluding Remarks
e ak
C nldn

Eurofighter required a significant involvement of the

1-10
As time has progressed, the Eurofighter Project has seen a
significant change in the integration of the aerodynamics
disciplines into a modern project and product focussed
mode of operation.

AGARD FMP WG.19 AR-314

"Operational Agility"

NATO RTO MP- 11, Paper 12

"System Identification for Integrated Aircraft
Development and Flight Testing."
R.Bava, G.T.Hoare, G.Garcia-Mesuro & H.C.Olker.

This has impacted primarily in the areas of:

processes and tools
processes
styles and personal behaviour.

STechnical
SManagement
SLeadership
4

There is a definite move away from the tools which are

not user friendly and which require detail knowledge and
experience of the tool itself for successful application.
There is a move towards tools that are easy to use and
understand and quick to apply, wherever this is possible.
Often this involves capturing of experience and building
this into the user interface, such that the system leads the
user through the right questions and decision points.
There remains much to do in this respect.
Within British Aerospace, these changes are being
focussed around the setting up of a product based work
structure, in line with the requirements of modern Earned
Value Management practices. However, to ensure that
this is implemented successfully, the other major effort
that is required is the recognition and acceptance of all
the team members of their involvement in developing the
plans by which the products are delivered. The key
enabler being used for this is the Team Based Value
Planning and the disciplines that this brings with it
regarding the softer, non task focussed issues that are
more readily overlooked in more traditional approaches.

References
I
RAeS Journal

Volume 100, Number 1000, pp

411 -424
Aerodynamic Technology

Nicholas Brealey Publishing

"Vertical Take-Off'
Sir Richard Evans & Colin Price