national aerospace technology strategy
Thursday 28 August 2008

NATS - National Aerospace Technology Strategy > ATVPs and AINs > Advanced Electrical Power Systems AIN

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Advanced Electrical Power Systems AIN

The aerospace industry is recognised as one of the leading sectors in technology development, acting as a stimulus for growth and generating a substantial balance of trade surplus. This makes the aerospace industry the 's most competitive manufacturing sector. Investment in R&T and R&D gives civilian aerospace sustainability and military aviation battle winning advantage.

As part of the National Aerospace Technology Strategy (NATS), the Aerospace Innovation Growth Team's (AeIGT) initiative is to realise the vision that "by 2022 the UK will offer a global aerospace industry in the world's most innovative and productive location, leading to sustainable growth for all its stakeholders". Instrumental to this is the formation of six Aerospace Technology Validation Programmes (ATVPs) and thirteen Aerospace Innovation Networks (AINs) believed to have the most direct impact on these objectives.

One of these recognised areas is the Advanced Electrical Power Systems AIN, which will provide UK industry with a competitive advantage in electrical power systems.



Research Themes

The research themes of the Advanced Electrical Power Systems AIN have identified as beneficial to advance the state of competitivity are:

  • Electrical Materials
  • Electrical Machines
  • Power Electronics
  • Thermal Management
  • Power Distribution Architectures
  • Condition Monitoring

Benefits

The programme will engage leading UK industry and universities, the MoD, DTI, RDAs and EPSRC working closely with the other AINs and ATVPs to exploit fully the emerging technologies and ensure they are pulled through from the science base and embedded in the supply chain. This is to be achieved by defining and implementing a 5-year rolling research programme at the leading edge of the global aerospace industry.

The benefits of undertaking the programme are:

  • Strengthen the UK technology base
  • Provide UK industry with the means to retain and grow its technical advantage
  • Prevent capability from leaving the UK

The programme will be focussed on delivering/ developing key technologies to support the all-electric aircraft concept.

UK industry has the capability to harness and deliver on this investment by working together with the Government and the regional bodies to continue to develop an increasingly robust aerospace industry. Industrial partners can develop their forward looking strategy, capability and so competitivity; with accompanying strengthening of local economies through this. In addition multiple cross-sectoral benefits can be achieved through exploitation of technology/ capability into other areas. The work will be undertaken by a consortium of partners with the nominated industry lead company for this programme being Smiths Aerospace.

Status

The programme is currently in the implementation stage with industry working closely with/ seeking input from regional stakeholders/ SMEs to identify technology research themes to align and support the projected future capability requirements for Advanced Electrical Power Systems. Elements of the research programme have been initiated under previous calls for proposals within the DTI Technology Programme.