IFATS Contractors

A public, scientific and technical establishment with both industrial and commercial responsibilities, Onera reports to the French Ministry of Defense and enjoys financial independence.

The expertise of Onera covers all the scientific disciplines involved in aircraft, spacecraft and missile design. It makes Onera an essential partner in the French and European aeronautics and space community.

The activity covers a wide spectrum of topics from Basic Research to Flight Testing. Through the teamwork of its scientists recognized internationally in their respective fields and its engineers with a systems approach, Onera promotes ongoing dialog between basic and applied research, medium and long range approach, areas of special expertise and an optimized overall approach. Mathematical models, numerical simulation, laboratory and wind tunnel experiments and flight testing combine to give a better understanding of the physical phenomena encountered and enable to validate aircraft, spacecraft and missile performance predictions.

Onera conducts research in the disciplines and techniques involved in design of an aircraft or spacecraft: aerodynamics, flight dynamics, energetics, structural strength, materials, optics and laser, acoustics, radar and electromagnetism, electronics, systems, robotics, information processing. The research is focused on federating themes and programmes, such as fluid mechanics and information processing.

Onera activity in the safety and security field spans from software integrity to flight control robustness in degraded conditions. Moreover, an ongoing co-operation with NASA is focusing on aviation safety incident reports.

Cost reduction in system design becomes an important objective, computer tools have been developed to help system design from requirements to conceptual definition while low cost sensor techniques are investigated.

Concerning Air Traffic Management, a federative project has been carried on resulting in a comprehensive analysis tool for air traffic from the approach flight phase to the departure flight path.

Onera is also a gateway between scientific research and industry, cooperating with CNRS (National Scientific Research Centre) and the most prestigious universities. Since its creation in 1946, it has worked on all the major French and European aeronautical and space programmes, including Mirage, Concorde, Airbus, Ariane, Rafale, etc.

EADS Defence and Security Systems SA (EADS DS SA) is a subsidiary of the EADS group, and is part of the Business Unit Defence and Communications Systems (DCS), which has revenues in 2003 around 1.2 Billion euros, with 5800 employees.


The DCS Business Unit is the EADS Systems House and is an integrated part of the EADS Defence and Security Systems Division (DS).
DS, with revenues of about € 5.2 billion in 2003 and roughly 24,000 employees across nine nations, forms the defence pole within EADS. It offers integrated systems solutions to the new challenges confronting armed forces and homeland security units. It is active in the areas of military aircraft, missile systems, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) systems with manned and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), battlefield management systems, defence electronics, sensors and avionics, and related services.

EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2003, the Group generated revenues of over € 30 billion and employed a workforce of more than 109,000.

Israel Aircraft Industries is globally recognized as a leader in developing military and commercial aerospace technology. This distinction is the result of nearly a half-century of designing, engineering and manufacturing, for customers throughout the world.

From a relatively small operation to become an industry leader, a company must be versatile and highly motivated, innovative and competitive. IAI was built around these qualities, and has improved upon them with its years of acquired experience. Israel Aircraft Industries has operated for decades according to the laws, regulations and internationally accepted norms in the business world. As the Company endeavors to conform to the international atmosphere which dictates a close adherence to ethical standards, the Company has produced a special document The Business Behavior Code, which, together with existing standards and the commitment to providing high quality products and services, will ensure the continued strength and development of Israel Aircraft Industries. The Company's ambition is to continue to initiate and achieve technological breakthroughs that characterize the best in the industry.

Israel Aircraft Industries is Israel’s main aerospace corporation. IAI employs approximately 14,500 people. A few of the many projects currently in progress at IAI are :

IAI Headquarters includes five operating units: Commercial Aircraft Group (CAG); Bedek Aviation Group; Systems Missile and Space Group, Elta Systems Group and Military Aircraft Group (MAG).

The CAG’s Engineering Division is a single site aerospace engineering centre. It’s expertise encompasses every required aircraft development discipline and task - from concept definition to prototype flight-testing and certification.

Development and production of state-of-the-art executive jets is the CAG’s flagship activity. Following the success of the Astra SP and the Astra SPX, the CAG has developed the GALAXY new generation executive jet and currently is developing the new G150 aircraft (Astra SPX wide body).

The Flight Control Systems department was responsible for the design and approval of all the digital FBW systems, for manned and unmanned aerial vehicles, that were developed under the military as well as under the commercial aircraft group.

The incentives of the Engineering Division and the FCS department in this project are to exploit the possibilities of improving the safety of flight, and exploring new automated systems.

Thales Communications SA is a subsidiary of the Thales group and is part of its Communications Business Group. The revenue of BGCOM is around 1.5 billion euros, with 9000 employees in 14 countries. It operates through its subsidiaries in Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, and United Kingdom.

Thales Communications SA is a world leader in its domain of activity covering communications networks, satellite communications, mobile radiocommunications, naval & infrastructure communication systems, airborne communication, navigation and identification systems both for civil and military aircrafts, command information systems, radiosurveillance systems and radio spectrum monitoring.

Thales Communications SA is basing its leading position on constant and significant efforts in research and development for all the technologies involved in the ground, naval and airborne communication, identification and navigation fields both for military and civil applications, for which security and safety aspects are key.

Alenia Aeronautica S.p.A., a company of Finmeccanica S.p.A which is one of the Italy’s major high tech companies, is among Europe's leading manufacturers of aircraft systems.

The company is dedicated to a full range of activities, from design and production to modification and product support for both military and civil aircraft. The majority of these activities entails collaborations with the world’s most important aerospace industries.

In the military aircraft field the company designs and manufactures, directly or through international collaborations, combat and transport aircraft such as the Eurofighter/Typhoon, the ultimate European advanced combat aircraft, the AMX tactical aircraft, a joint program with Embraer of Brazil and Aermacchi of Italy, the tri-national Tornado multi-role combat aircraft, the C-27J Spartan tactical transport airlifter jointly developed with Lockheed Martin, the ATR42MP Surveyon in cooperation with EADS, a maritime patrol version of the ATR42 commuter aircraft.

Alenia Aeronautica plays a main role in the commercial aircraft sector.

Through its collaboration with EADS it has jointly developed the turbo-prop aircraft family for regional transport, ATR, which is now the most successful commuter program, with more than 600 units.

The technological capabilities shown by Alenia Aeronautica in the field of aerostructures have been widely credited, since the company has supported the world’s major manufacturers in the construction of some of today’s best-known commercial aircraft.

The company has long been co-operating with Boeing and participate in the manufacturing of B767, B777, B717, B757 with the supply of structural parts. Alenia Aeronautica also cooperates with Airbus consortium by manufacturing aerostructures for A321. In cooperation with EADS, it supplies structural parts for the A300/310 and the A340-500/600. Through BAE Systems, Alenia supplies machined parts for A319/320/321 and A340.

Alenia Aeronautica is also involved (with a 4% share) in the new A380 programme, the 550-seat civil aircraft which will be the most relevant strategic investment of Airbus in the next twenty years.

The company’s research and development activities are focused on developing its different business lines, improving existing products, developing new European civil and military aircraft and increasing competitiveness through the enhancement of industrial processes.

Alenia Aeronautica research and development activities aim at developing its capabilities within the partnerships and collaborations in which it participates and focus on specific aeronautical technologies, material technologies and their production processes, on-board and mission systems and functional integration as well as feasibility and definition studies for new projects.

Employing a staff of more than 7452 people, it reached 2001 revenues of 1,140 million Euro, 80% of which from the export and with a Research & Development expenditure of more than 134 million Euro.

Erdyn is a technology and services company. Incorporated in 1984, independent, it cumulates a strong expertise. It specializes in scientific and technical consultancy, aimed at industrial innovation. It is a “ société anonyme ” with a working capital of 100 000 €.

Erdyn services are organized as two business lines :

The expertise erdyn has built up is based on its knowledge and practice of the engineering sciences, including : thermodynamics, mechanics, material sciences, solid state physics, electricity and electronics, applied mathematics, computer sciences, environmental sciences, metrology, optics, chemistry….

This expertise has been applied to a wide variety of sectors such as energy production and distribution, raw materials and metal working, the environment, building and civil engineering, automobile and transportation, telecommunications, aeronautics and space, chemical engineering, sensors, control and command, to name but a few.

With large industry groups as well as with small and medium-size companies or public sector (research agencies, administrations), erdyn builds up long-lasting partnerships, based on its science and technology awareness, industrial experience and methodical exactness. With all clients, erdyn is engaged through confidentiality agreements.

Erdyn owns the OPQCM “ technology ” label (quality control) ; its clients may benefit from the “Crédit d’Impôt Recherche”.

DLR is the national German research establishment, responsible for research activities in aerospace, energy technology, and transport, as well as the national space agency. DLR operates 30 institutes, test and operational facilities, with the majority located at eight main research centres, with a total number of about 4.500 employees. Research activities are focused to serve the scientific, economical and social purposes. DLR sees its role to close the gap between university and industry. Long term experience exists in international project management and has been proven in projects on the European or international level.

The main relevant experience relates to systems design, performance analysis using ground and airborne simulators, sensor simulation and application, and data-link verification. In particular, DLR will bring in its considerable expertise on intelligent systems for autonomous aircraft guidance and control and its air traffic management simulation tools. DLR is strongly committing the improvement of safety of the whole air transport system.

DSNA/SDER ("Sous-Direction des Etudes et de la Recherche appliquée"), the french air navigation study centre, is responsible for promoting and designing advanced concepts required for the development of the future air traffic control system within the European context.

DSNA/SDER undertakes studies, research and experimentation in the following areas :

All these studies are supported by the use of significant and powerful computer resources spread and interlinked between different sites to perform experiments and simulations needed for concept validation.

CIRA, the Italian Aerospace Research Centre, is a limited consortium company founded in July 1984. The Italian government has entrusted CIRA to manage the PRORA (Italian Aerospace Research Program).

CIRA institutional aim is :

As a member of EREA, CIRA works in close co-operation with European Aerospace Research Establishments.

CIRA will participate to the project with the Flight System Department (SISV) which has a large experience in the fields of Flight Mechanics, Flight Control and Automation, due to the participation in both international and national research activities and in supporting Italian aviation manufacturers. The activities carried out cover the whole development cycle of advanced flight control technologies starting from the theoretical study until the validation by means of real-time HW in the loop simulations and experimental flight tests by using small scale flying demonstrator.

In particular the department has direct expertise in the following fields :

The University of Patras is one of the largest academic institutions in Greece, including schools on the basic sciences, engineering, economics, social sciences and humanities, health sciences, as well as arts and architecture. It currently has 700 faculty members, 1,600 employees, and about 18,000 undergraduates and 2,000 graduate students. The School of Engineering covers all main disciplines, including Mechanical & Aeronautics, Electrical, Civil, Chemical, and Computer Engineering.

The Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering has facilities housed in two ample buildings and includes modern laboratories covering applied mechanics, design and manufacturing, thermal and fluid sciences, aeronautics and automation. It involves 45 faculty members, 900 undergraduate students, and over 100 Ph.D. students. The department is very active in innovative teaching and research, and participates in numerous national, European, and international educational and research programs.

The Stochastic Mechanical Systems (SMS) Group of the Department specializes in innovative stochastic methods for estimation, identification, prediction, fault diagnosis and controls in various types of mechanical and aeronautical systems. The Group is led by Professor Fassois, and involves post docs, several Ph.D. students, M.Sc. students, and a technical assistant. The Group runs two modern laboratory facilities for teaching and research: A Mechanical Systems facility and a Structural Identification and Control facility.

The Technion - Israel Institute of Technology is Israel's oldest university, founded in 1924, and is the only institute of higher learning devoted to the education of engineers, scientists, and physicians. Of the total enrollment of 12,800 students, 9,200 are undergraduates and 3,600 are graduates, studying at one of its 20 Faculties. The Technion is an independent university directed by a Board of Governors. The executive power is exercised by the President. The supreme academic authority is the Senate, which consists of the President, the Vice Presidents, all full professors, Faculty Deans and elected representatives of the 20 Faculties.

The Faculty of Aerospace Engineering was founded in 1954. It is the only Faculty in Israel to offer academic degrees in Aerospace Engineering. About 400 undergraduates and 120 graduate students are currently studying in the faculty. Since founded, it graduated more than 1600 aeronautical and aerospace engineers. Research activities at the Faculty cover most of the areas of Aerospace sciences.