The Aerospace & Defence KTN recently held a two-day Conference at Lancaster London Hotel to provide a knowledge platform for its members to learn and share in some of the recent successes and future endeavours of the UK's aerospace industry.
A host of industry experts presented tangible proof of the ways in which the industry is creating wealth and economic strength for UK plc, as well as developing the technologies of the future - not simply for the aerospace and defence sectors, but pan-sector too.
As the UK economy emerges from the recent recession, all sectors have been encouraged to innovate to catalyse the recovery. In this instance, the National Aerospace Technology Strategy (NATS) driven by industry and endorsed by Government has proven most valuable since its creation in 2003.
To maintain its focus, the strategy is currently undergoing a refresh. Aerospace Technology Strategy Group (ATSG) chairman Ric Parker took the opportunity to address the conference and provide details of the refresh and the new insights it will aim to deliver.
“The strategy for aerospace which has served us well since 2003 was in need of a revisit to answer a series of questions,” he explained. “Is it still valid? What has it delivered? Have the market drivers and opportunities changed over the last seven years and if they have, what is the impact on the technology strategy going forwards? The revitalised strategy also creates a talking point between the aerospace industry and the new Coalition Government to show how vital and innovative technologies will further strengthen UK aerospace manufacturing products and processes.”
Parker went on to note that the recent shift in the economic environment, coupled with the recognition that the UK can't make its fortune in the future as a nation of shopkeepers and hairdressers means that UK industry has some serious decisions to make.
“If the UK aerospace sector pretends that it can just live on its past laurels and entertain low-cost manufacturing in the UK whilst still maintaining a commanding position within the global aerospace industry then we really have got it wrong,” Parker warned. “We need to be manufacturing something tangible that we can deliver to the rest of the world and generate an awareness of the importance of the UK manufacturing industry whilst creating jobs and returns on investment to both government and industry.
“For example, Airbus' involvement in large aerospace programmes like the Next Generation Composite Wing project, where we can all witness the sheer physical scale that UK manufacturing is working with here. We are not tinkering about in a laboratory; this is an aircraft wing being built at more or less full scale, with all the systems and the understanding of the manufacturing technology that will be integrated into the future capability of UK manufacturing.”
Underlining the fact that composite wing manufacture was a capability the UK was once very much in danger of losing, Parker went on to explain how both Germany and Spain had lobbied hard to win more composite manufacturing related business within the Airbus group by suggesting that ‘metal wing' manufacture belonged to the UK, whereas “[the UK] still hasn't got its act together for composite wing constructions”.
“Therefore, this programme is vital in defending Airbus UK's capability to undertake composite wing manufacture in the UK,” he concluded. “Bombardier is yet another world-leading company involved in the manufacture of composite wing structures. Other examples include the partnership between GKN Aerospace and Rolls-Royce to develop the composite fan blades of the future.”
Compiled and agreed by the ATSG, Parker reckons the Strategy refresh will be published in June with more developments available during the coming Farnborough Airshow.
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