Bristol-based Military jet developer Aeralis is developing a revolutionary modular jet concept for the Royal Air Force (RAF) that could transform the future of military aviation.
Versatile Modular Jet: Cost-Efficient Maintenance
The manufacturer, headquartered at Bristol’s Aztec West Business Park, envisions multiple configurations such as Advanced Jet Trainer, Aggressor, Companion, ISTAR, and Tanking options, marking a significant milestone toward market availability later in the decade.
A modular cockpit design and a redesigned fuselage shape!
The concept is built around a “Common Core Fuselage” (CCF) with integrated modular avionics, enabling the integration of various interchangeable parts. Starting at the cockpit, you can choose between a two-seat tandem setup, a single-seat cockpit with extra fuel storage, or electronic warfare equipment behind it, or opt for a completely unmanned system.
A first-of-a-kind wing architecture!
Moving to the wings, the inner wing remains consistent across all variants, while the outer wing can be configured for high-lift, long-endurance ISR missions, stealth, high transonic speeds, or advanced subsonic flight.
Even the engines are designed to be interchangeable!
Furthermore, interchangeable engine pods can accommodate various single, twin, or large engines via adapter plates.
Cost Savings due to interchangeable parts: A Compelling Proposition
Aeralis Chief Airframe Engineer Peter Curtis says, “The RAF has an astonishing number of different types of aircraft. Some of them they’ve only got three or four. But they’re these exquisite, boutique designs to fit a particular specification. But it’s unaffordable to keep that whole range of different aircraft and hold spare parts for very small fleets. What we’re trying to do is to give you all that capability – the aircraft might not be quite as good, they might only be 90-95% good as the bespoke designs, but you’ll save an absolute ton of money on it.”
Aeralis has been actively establishing partnerships with a variety of organizations, including Honeywell, Thales, Rolls-Royce, Siemens, and more.
