The mission computer is an open-architecture system in development at Platform Solutions' facility in Edinburgh, U.K. This computer provides the graphics for all six cockpit display panels and a head-up display.

The new autopilot system will enable the MoD to fly the Hawk in controlled civil airspace and will also reduce pilot workload. The system consists of a computer, rate gyro unit, tailplane actuator, and aileron actuators. The gyros will be provided by BEI Systron Donner, and the actuators by Smiths Aerospace.

Additionally, the Platform Solutions unit will provide the aircraft's Inertial Navigation Global Positioning System (IN-GPS) system. IN-GPS forms the core of the aircraft's positioning and navigation system by correlating both inertial and global positioning satellite data to provide an accurate positional fix.

"The Hawk 128 will play an important role for the MoD well into the future, and we are very pleased to have been chosen to participate in this contract," said Mike Austill, managing director of Avionic Systems for the Platform Solutions business.

"Our team in Edinburgh has been working hard for the past 24 months to develop the new mission computer, and we look forward to working with our customer to integrate this equipment on the new aircraft."

BAE Systems