Aircraft Weapon System Compatibility and Integration

Book excerpt: Weaponry is a central factor in any kind of military activity. The incorporation of weapon systems into aircraft and their integration and satisfactory operation is a topic of major importance to armed forces and manufacturers of weapons and aircraft alike. The scope of this symposium was to critically review the overall state-of-the-art in aircraft weapon system compatibility and integration and to illuminate possible paths for future development and provide beneficial ideas and experience. Sessions dealt with the following topics: Theoretical methods and modelling techniques, Experimental and flight test techniques, Integration processes and programmes, Addressing future challenges. This symposium produced many excellent papers providing broad coverage of the weapons integration issues. There were many common threads with regard to the analysis, wind tunnel testing, and flight testing. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is proving to be a useful technique; wind tunnel testing is very important in the weapons integration process; but, flight testing has to be the final phase of the weapons integration process. This symposium produced a level of cohesiveness between the analysts and testers; however, full agreement as to the mix of analysis and testing did not evolve. In order to reduce the cost of weapon integration, certification, clearance, and flight testing, weapon integration analytical techniques, including CFD and wind tunnel testing, and flight testing need to become more of an integrated process. The knowledge gained and information shared at this symposium should assist the participants in developing a more integrated process in order to provide NATO nations with fully integrated weapon systems at an affordable price.