Business Secretary and Airbus CEO announce research investment
President and Chief Executive Officer of Airbus, Fabrice Bregier today joined the Business Secretary, Sajid Javid MP at the Airbus site in Filton to announce 14 million investment into aerospace research and technology.
Two projects will go forward thanks to the joint industry and government investment, supported by the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) and delivered by Innovate UK, which promotes research and development into new technology for the aircraft of the future.
One project will look at the manufacturing processes for the next generation of advanced aircraft wings, aimed at speeding up production while also reducing weight and costs, while the other will focus on new aircraft fuel and inerting systems to reduce maintenance and improve environmental efficiency.
Business Secretary Sajid Javid said: “Our aerospace sector is a real success story. This highly productive industry provides highly skilled jobs and is a key part of our long-term economic growth. That’s why we are extending our commitment to aerospace RD by a further £900 million over the next 10 years. With industry’s commitment to match this funding, this will result in £3.9bn investment in aerospace RD since 2013.”
“I would like to thank the government for recognising the importance of the sector,” said Airbus CEO Fabrice Brégier: “The UK is the world leader in wing and fuel system development for aircraft. This latest investment in new technologies will help secure this position for decades to come. I’m proud at the leading role Airbus is taking, which will ultimately transform the way we travel in the future.”
The two projects announced today will be led by Airbus, but involve a number of other industry collaborators and the research will be carried out at a number of locations across the UK. For further details see Notes to Editors.
The ATI was created as part of a commitment agreed by the Aerospace Growth Partnership (AGP). Airbus is a key partner in the AGP which brings government and industry together to secure the long-term future of the UK aerospace sector. The AGP has contributed to a 14 per cent growth in the UK aerospace sector since 2011.
Airbus is also one of the UK’s biggest inward investors in research and development (RD). In recent years we have invested around £480 million annually, making us the second largest aerospace investor in RD in the UK.
