UK Aerospace Sees £13 Billion Boost
The 2024 Farnborough International Airshow has proven to be a resounding success for the UK’s aerospace industry, with a whopping £13 billion worth of deals announced for the country. According to ADS Group, the trade association for the UK’s aerospace, defence, security and space sectors, this figure is a testament to the industry’s confidence, resilience, and buoyancy.
The four-day event saw a total of £81.5 billion in deals announced, with the UK securing a significant chunk of this amount. The 260 firm aircraft orders alone are valued at £6.4 billion, while the 808 firm engine orders are worth at least £1.2 billion to the UK at current prices.
Amy Stone, chief economist at ADS, attributed the success of the airshow to the record industry attendance and heightened attention towards the aerospace and aviation ecosystem. “The firm commitment to 260 new aircraft highlights industry confidence, resilience and buoyancy,” she said.
However, Stone also emphasized the need for the new government to address the challenges holding back the sector’s ability to deliver its full potential and impact on the economy. “With demand for aircraft still outpacing the amount we are able to fulfil, it’s clear that we need to address these challenges,” she added.
The UK’s aerospace sector is a significant contributor to the country’s economy, with a value add of £10.9 billion, a 16% increase compared to 2013 figures. The sector also provides 104,000 direct jobs, with a median salary of £48.7k, 39% higher than the UK average. Notably, 88% of these jobs are located outside of London and the Southeast.
With the Farnborough International Airshow firmly cementing the UK’s position as a global leader in the aerospace industry, the future looks bright for this sector.
Rolls-Royce, Castle Precision Sign £85m Deal
Rolls-Royce has announced a significant contract worth over £85 million with Castle Precision Engineering, a Glasgow-based machining firm. The agreement marks a continuation of the 40-year relationship between the two companies and will run until the second half of the decade.
The contract, endorsed by the UK government’s Scottish secretary, involves the manufacture and supply of precision machined critical rotating aero engine parts for Rolls-Royce’s Civil Aerospace, Defence, and Business Aviation programmes.
Jon Barsby, Rolls-Royce’s senior vice president of procurement, highlighted the importance of the contract in reinforcing the company’s commitment to the UK supply chain and UK skills. “Castle Precision Engineering has consistently proven itself to be a high-quality, reliable, and innovative supplier, and this contract extension is a testament to their hard work and dedication to remaining competitive and at the forefront of manufacturing innovation,” he said.
Yan Tiefenbrun, managing director of Castle Precision Engineering, expressed his company’s excitement at securing the largest contract in its 73-year history. “This contract represents growth and increased certainty for our company and our people, and we’re proud to extend our long-standing relationship with Rolls-Royce,” he added.
The components manufactured by Castle Precision Engineering will be used in Rolls-Royce products across various engine families, including the Trent family, the Pearl family, and the EJ200 engines for the Eurofighter Typhoon.
As a precision engineering specialist, Castle Precision Engineering employs 120 people and supplies high-precision critical gas turbine components to the aerospace and energy industries, as well as complex prismatic parts to the defence, space, and medical sectors. This contract win is a significant boost for the company and a testament to its exceptional operational performance and commitment to delivering high-quality precision engineering work in the UK.
Thales, DE&S Secure £176m LMM Contract
In a major boost to Northern Ireland’s economy, Thales Belfast has been awarded a £176 million contract to produce lightweight multirole missiles (LMM) for the British Army. The deal, placed by Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), will equip the Army’s short-range air defence capabilities, including Stormer combat vehicles, and be fired by the Royal Navy’s Martlet maritime anti-surface missile system deployed from Wildcat helicopters.
The LMM, weighing just 13kg each, is designed to provide a precision solution against threats such as drones, helicopters, aircraft, and small, fast maritime targets. The contract will support 135 jobs at Thales’ Belfast site and contribute to economic growth through small and medium enterprises and the local supply chain.
The LMM has already proven its effectiveness in combat, having been used by Ukraine to repel the Russian invasion. The missiles were first fired from a Wildcat helicopter in the Bay of Bengal during the Royal Navy’s Carrier Strike Group deployment in 2021 and have since supported operations including Operation Prosperity Guardian in the Red Sea.
This contract follows a £69 million deal placed by DE&S earlier this year to secure the supply chain for key components used in the manufacture of the missiles. Production at the Thales Belfast site has doubled since the conflict in Ukraine as global demand for air defence capabilities has increased.
Andy Start, DE&S Chief Executive, commented, “LMM is a versatile and valuable missile in a variety of battlespaces. This order with Thales UK is a key element of our collective effort to ensure UK armed forces and our allies are fully equipped to defeat evolving global threats.”
QinetiQ Secures £15 Million Thundercloud Contract
QinetiQ has been awarded a £15 million contract by the UK Ministry of Defence to manage, maintain, and update Thundercloud, a classified military data management system. The system provides critical meteorological and oceanographic data to military forces worldwide, supporting land, sea, and air operations.
Thundercloud, developed in the 1980s, collects, analyses, and distributes data at all security classifications through a secure network of systems. This vital information enables military teams to gain a better understanding of their environment, providing a shared situational awareness across different teams.
QinetiQ has been managing Thundercloud since 2001 and has successfully retained the support contract through several upgrade cycles. The latest contract, which runs for two years, focuses on agile change delivery and demonstrates QinetiQ’s commitment to partnering with small and medium enterprises. Hampshire-based Thorn LTD will provide engineering support, alongside other SMEs offering specialist technical support.
Commander Nick Davies of the Joint Operational Meteorology and Oceanography Centre (JOMOC) praised QinetiQ’s 24-year partnership, saying: “We’re pleased to award this contract to the QinetiQ team, who have consistently delivered a reliable, best-of-breed solution. We look forward to continuing our collaborative approach over the next two years.”
James Willis, Chief Executive of UK Intelligence at QinetiQ, emphasized the company’s pride in applying its expertise in cyber, data, and electromagnetics to ensure Thundercloud continues to provide its vital service to military forces around the world.
UK Unveils Laser Weapon System
In a breakthrough, scientists and engineers have successfully tested a high-powered laser energy weapon mounted on a British Army combat vehicle. The innovative system, developed through a collaborative effort between the UK Ministry of Defence, British Army, and a consortium of industry partners including Raytheon UK, Fraser Nash, NP Aerospace, Lum Optica, Blighter Surveillance Systems, and Cambridge Pixel, demonstrates a significant leap forward in the use of laser technology on the battlefield.
Conducted at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory’s (Dstl) range in Porton Down, the trial saw the laser weapon accurately neutralize targets at distances exceeding 1 kilometre. This achievement marks a significant milestone in the UK Ministry of Defence’s Land Laser Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) Demonstrator programme, aimed at providing the British Army with a cutting-edge capability to counter evolving threats.
The lightweight, portable high-energy laser system is the first of its kind to be integrated onto a land vehicle in the UK. The advanced capability demonstrator will enable the Ministry of Defence and British Army to assess the utility of LDEW systems in real-world scenarios, with further trials involving Army personnel scheduled for later this year.
Notably, the system is designed to be low-cost, easy to operate, and fully portable, allowing for rapid deployment in various operational environments. Its advanced command and control system enables multiple target tracking and engagement at speeds faster than light.
The development of this technology showcases the collaborative efforts of UK suppliers, and underscores Dstl’s commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology to maintain a strategic advantage in defence operations.
That’s it for this week folks, Hope you have a great week.