QinetiQ Vectored-thrust Aircraft Advanced Control (VAAC) team was awarded a gold medal in the 100th Royal Aeronautical Society’s Medals & Awards, the longest-running aerospace awards for achievement, innovation and excellence.
The honor was awarded based on the development and flight test activities that have prototyped guidance, control and automatic landing systems for the Short Take-Off & Vertical Landing variant of the Joint Strike Fighter and for its development of the Shipboard Rolling Vertical Landing technique for recovery to the Future Carrier.
“An exceptional contribution to the success to date of the JCA, ” said Colin Paterson, Chief Engineer for the Joint Combat Aircraft (JCA) program. “The team has played a very significant part in the development of the Carrier Strike capability scheduled to be introduced to UK Service by JCA and the Queen Elizabeth Class Carriers.”
The first Royal Aeronautical Society’s Gold Medal was awarded in 1909 to the Wright Brothers.
