Electronic engine controls followed the same technical growth path as other electronics. During and shortly after World War II, electronic controls replaced mechanical engine controls – especially as jet engines replaced piston engines – but engines were still dependent on pilots and crew to adjust for flight and operating conditions. Analog engine controls continued to evolve throughout the 1960s, and improvements further reduced pilot workloads and improved safety and efficiency. Digital engine controls provided a step-change in engine control performance, and functionality as advances in microcomputers and digital circuit design expanded capabilities, increased reliability, and enabled control of larger, more powerful, efficient, and complex engines. Full Authority Digital Engine Controls (FADEC) first entered into service on aircrafts in 1987 and were increasingly adopted for military and commercial use in the years following. BAE Systems was one of the pioneers in early electronic engine control development and today is a world leader in the design, development, and production of state-of-the-art FADEC systems.