A control system for a turbo electric aero-propulsion system comprising a turbine engine, a generator adapted to receive rotational energy from the turbine engine, an energy storage subsystem adapted to receive electrical input from the generator, the energy storage subsystem comprising one or more of: an energy storage device, a power converter, and an inverter, a motor to receive electrical input from the energy storage subsystem, and a fan that may be driven by either the engine or the motor, the control system comprising: a propulsion control optimization subsystem adapted to generate an optimal motor speed set point to control the motor and an optimal pitch angle set point to control the fan; a power plant control optimization subsystem adapted to generate an optimal generator torque set point to control the generator and an optimal generator speed set point to control the engine; and an energy storage charge/discharge optimization subsystem adapted to receive the optimal motor set point and the optimal pitch angle from the propulsion control optimization subsystem, receive the optimal generator torque set point and the optimal generator speed set point from the power plant control optimization subsystem, and generate an optimal energy storage current set point to control the amount of electrical current supplied by the energy storage subsystem to the motor, characterized in that the propulsion control optimization subsystem comprises a motor speed set point optimization subsystem adapted to compute the optimal motor speed set point and a fan pitch angle set point optimization subsystem adapted to, independently of the motor speed set point optimization subsystem, compute the optimal fan pitch angle set point, wherein the motor speed set point optimization subsystem and the fan pitch angle set point optimization subsystem are adapted to optimize over different time intervals. a propulsion control optimization subsystem adapted to generate an optimal motor speed set point to control the motor and an optimal pitch angle set point to control the fan; a power plant control optimization subsystem adapted to generate an optimal generator torque set point to control the generator and an optimal generator speed set point to control the engine; and an energy storage charge/discharge optimization subsystem adapted to receive the optimal motor set point and the optimal pitch angle from the propulsion control optimization subsystem, receive the optimal generator torque set point and the optimal generator speed set point from the power plant control optimization subsystem, and generate an optimal energy storage current set point to control the amount of electrical current supplied by the energy storage subsystem to the motor, characterized in that the propulsion control optimization subsystem comprises a motor speed set point optimization subsystem adapted to compute the optimal motor speed set point and a fan pitch angle set point optimization subsystem adapted to, independently of the motor speed set point optimization subsystem, compute the optimal fan pitch angle set point, wherein the motor speed set point optimization subsystem and the fan pitch angle set point optimization subsystem are adapted to optimize over different time intervals.