NFFP4 - National Aviation Engineering Research Programme 4

NFFP is now in its fourth phase since the start in 1994. The programme period 2005-2008 is referred to as NFFP4 and includes the following areas:

1. Systems analysis
2. Systems engineering
3. Aircraft technology
4. Service-based and operative-support-based systems
5. Innovative concepts for future aviation systems

According to the national announcement for NFFP4 issued by VINNOVA (the Swedish Agency for Innovation Systems) on 25 Jan. 2005, within the national aeronautics research programme, the long-term aim of NFFP is to strengthen the competitiveness of the Swedish aeronautics industry by supporting and coordinating national research resources in industry, research institutes and academia. One prerequisite for achieving this competitiveness is strong research clusters with good relations in the industry that enable the development and transfer of advanced technology. In addition, NFFP will promote the creation of strong centres of excellence so as to actively participate in, and benefit from, international research cooperation within both industry and the research community. Via international research collaboration, it is expected that new research results and technologies that would otherwise be unattainable will be made available. In NFFP, priority will be given to projects of which the results promise good potential for transfer to industrial applications or provide the basis for further development in future national and international R&D programmes that are of national interest to Sweden. Projects with expected application in industrial processes and products will be given priority. National resources for research are in general limited, which is why a concentration must necessarily be made in certain areas within the NFFP programme. To restrict and concentrate to some extent the scope of NFFP, strictly defence-related research components have not been included. The focus is on aircraft systems and their platforms, sub-systems, and service and operative support systems. The entire system-of-systems life cycle, from early concept sketches and specification to development, production, operation and decommissioning is covered. Similarly, methods, tools and related technical development for realizing these phases are included.