Conceptual Design and Optimisation of Modern Combat Aircraft

Abstract : The design of a combat aircraft is an extremely complex task, due to the large range of design variables available. A fundamental understanding of the effects of changes to these variables, and to changes in design/performance requirements, is necessary to achieve a balanced design. At the Defense Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) this is achieved with the help of conceptual design and optimization programs, developed and used extensively over the past 20 years or so. These Multi-Variate Optimization (MVO) programs are rapid assessment tools, enabling the effects of variations in design variables and performance requirements, in terms of overall aircraft sizing and geometric shape, to be quickly demonstrated.