Airborne optical or electro-optical systems may be too large for all elements to be mounted on a single integrated structure, other than the aircraft fuselage itself. An active system must then be used to maintain the required alignment between elements. However the various smaller integrating structures (benches) must still be isolated from high-frequency airframe disturbances that could excite resonances outside the bandwidth of the alignment control system. The combined active alignment and vibration isolation functions must be performed by flight-weight components, which may have to operate in vacuum. The Airborne Stabilization / Vibration Isolation System (AS/VIS) is a testbed developed for the Air Force Airborne Laser program. The payload, a full-scale 1650-lb simulated bench, is mounted in six degrees of freedom to a vibrating platform by a set of isolator-actuators. The mounts utilize a combination of pneumatics and magnetics to perform the dual functions of low-frequency alignment and high-frequency isolation.

AS/VIS is an example of the type of system CSA can develop for support of platforms on vehicles of all types. The system relies on key technologies in pneumatics, electromagnetics and electronic control that are relavant to a variety of other applications. A technical paper gives a detailed desciption of AS/VIS performance.