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4 minute read

£400m of funding announced for aerospace research & technology

Aerospace jobs and supply chains across the UK will benefit from cutting-edge research and development projects, the UK government and aerospace industry leaders have announced.

Government grants totalling £200m, delivered through the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) programme, will be matched by industry to create the total investment of £400m in new research and technology, enabling ambitious projects to lift off and support the sector’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

New projects set to receive funding will include developing high performance engines, new wing designs, ultra-lightweight materials, energy-efficient electric components, and other brand new concepts to enhance innovation within the sector. A project led by Williams Advanced Engineering in Oxford, for example, will develop ultra-lightweight seat structures that will reduce an aircraft’s fuel consumption.

Government grants totalling £200m will be matched by industry to create an investment of £400m in new research and technology / Picture: Getty/iStock

 

The funding will also secure highly-skilled jobs in the UK’s aerospace sector and will benefit companies of all sizes from Caldicot in Wales to Bedlington in the North of England. Higher education institutions will also be a part of the projects, including the universities of Nottingham and Birmingham.

The funding was announced by business secretary Alok Sharma at Farnborough Connect, the virtual version of Farnborough International Airshow.

Secretary of state for business, energy and industrial strategy, Alok Sharma, said: “We have an incredible aerospace industry right here in the UK that defines the way aircraft are manufactured globally. This £400m ATI investment will help secure our world-leading position in developing new flight technology to make air travel safer and greener into the future.”

The successful projects that will receive a share of the government’s £200m grant funding through the ATI programme, and match it with their own investment, include:

Wings: Airbus-led projects (Broughton, Filton) will drive forward more efficient wing assembly, systems installation, digital design processes and a range of innovative wing concepts including folding wing tips.

Engines: Rolls-Royce-led projects will support the development of the UltraFan engine technology, which will make a step change in the efficiency and environmental performance of aircraft.

Power systems: the AEPEC project led by Safran Electrical & Power UK (Pitstone) will research how new electrical power systems can lead to more efficient energy usage.

Cabin systems: an Oxford-based project led by Williams Advanced Engineering will develop ultra-lightweight seat structures for air travel, reducing the weight of aircraft.

Projects awarded funding include developing high-performance engines, new wing designs, and ultra-lightweight materials to reduce fuel consumption / Picture: Getty/iStock

 

The business secretary also announced the FlyZero initiative to kickstart exploration into zero-carbon emission commercial aircraft.

The FlyZero study will receive government funding and bring together around 100 experts to tackle issues involved in designing and building a commercially successful zero-emission aircraft. The study will create a strong basis for further research and development into a wide of technologies necessary for future flight, with the aim of securing future manufacturing in the UK.

This follows the launch of the Jet Zero Council, which brings industry and government together to make net zero emissions possible for future flights. The FlyZero study will feed into the work of the council in defining and delivering this ambition.

Gary Elliott, chief executive of the Aerospace Technology Institute, said: “FlyZero represents an acceleration of the UK’s ambition to lead the world in green aviation. These are challenging but also exciting times for the aerospace sector; we need to help UK companies to recover while also creating new approaches to technology development and innovation.”

The UK was the first major economy to commit to achieving net zero emissions by 2050, and over the past decade, the UK has cut carbon emissions by more than any similar developed country. In 2019, UK emissions were 42% lower than in 1990, while the economy grew by 72%.


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