Aerospace industry in the United Kingdom
[4][5] Domestic companies with a large presence in the British aerospace industry include BAE Systems (one of the world's largest defence contractors, with significant aerospace activities),[6][7] Britten-Norman, GKN, Hybrid Air Vehicles, Meggitt PLC, QinetiQ, Rolls-Royce (one of the world's leading aero engine manufacturers),[8] Senior plc, MBDA UK and Ultra Electronics.
Current and future crewed aircraft in which the British aerospace industry has a major role include the AgustaWestland AW101, AW159, Airbus A220, A320 family, A330, A340, A350, A380, A400M, BAE Hawk, Boeing 767, 777, 787,[9] Bombardier CRJ700, Learjet 85, Britten-Norman Defender, Britten-Norman Islander, Eurofighter Typhoon, Hawker 800, Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules, Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II and BAE Systems Tempest.
Current and future unmanned aerial vehicles in which the British aerospace industry has a major role include Airbus Zephyr, BAE Taranis, HAV 304 Airlander 10 and Watchkeeper WK450.
[20] The desire by private individuals, often amateur gentlemen, to fly as a hobby provided the initial stimulus to the UK aviation industry.
[23] Most of the aviation pioneers, such as Geoffrey de Havilland, Thomas Sopwith, Richard Fairey, Robert Blackburn, Frederick Handley Page, A.V.
[24] Unsurprisingly the run up to and onset of the First World War led to a massive increase in the number of companies engaged in aircraft production.
Their key recommendation was that steps should be taken to foster civil aviation in order, in part, to maintain a manufacturing base that could supply the country's military needs.
[33] Eventually, however, the state did involve itself in civil aviation and on the advice of the Hambling Committee, creating Imperial Airways in 1924 from the four main air transport companies.
However, the Air Ministry did not actively engage with the development of commercial aircraft, despite the recommendation of the 1918 Civil Aerial Transport Committee and was later criticised by the 1938 Cadman Report for this.
[34] In order for civil aviation to expand, airports, close to major towns and cities and ancillary support such as weather forecasting and wireless telegraphy would be crucial.
The Air Ministry focused mainly on the military aspects of its remit, and held to the notion that state involvement was unnecessary because airports should be left to the private sector and municipal authorities.
Sir Sefton Brancker took over and he too understood that airports would be a key to the development of civil aviation and enthusiastically lobbied and encouraged provincial towns and cities to organise the planning.
[36] Sir Sefton Brancker died in the R101 crash in 1930 and his successor, Francis Shelmerdine, was not so enthusiastic and cited financial difficulties as one of the reasons for the slowdown in the impetus.
The Air Ministry dealt with aviation matters, concentrating on the safety aspects of the positioning of buildings, the quality of the airfield and especially possible hazards surrounding the aerodrome.
His report in 1937 came closest in its reasoning to a national master-plan, with its proposed 'system of airports', linked to a planned pattern of regulated internal services.
[42] The Air Ministry worked in the early years on the basis that there would be no war in Europe in the immediate future and that the main requirement for aircraft would be policing the colonies.
An immensely popular aircraft ideally suited to flying clubs and popularised by famous aviators such as Amy Johnson, Jean Batten, and Sir Francis Chichester[45] However, for airliners in this period the UK lagged behind European countries.
The aeroplanes of German manufacturer Junkers and Dutch company Fokker were dominant and after 1930 American passenger aircraft took a leading part.
However, the lack of suitable landing airfields in many Empire counties in the inter War period did lead to Imperial Airways commissioning Short Brothers in 1935 to build 28 flying boat aircraft for passengers and freight (particularly airmail).
Petter the designer of the Westland Lysander and, after World War Two, the English Electric Canberra, and Folland Gnat, both studied mechanical sciences at Cambridge University.
[48][47][49] John Siddeley, 1st Baron Kenilworth, the aero engine producer, gave Cambridge University £10,000 for aeronautical research and the arm dealer Basil Zaharoff endowed a chair of aviation at Imperial College.
[87] Filton is the main research and development and support centre for all Airbus wings, fuel systems and landing gear integration.
[citation needed] Other Airbus subsidiaries with major operations in the UK include Astrium, Cassidian and Surrey Satellite Technology.
All flight test activity for crewed aircraft is undertaken from Warton, which is also the development centre within BAE Systems, for UAVs, UCAVs and the Saudi Tornado upgrade programme.
However, it has now moved production of all aircraft back to Daedalus Airfield and also performs in the European hub for the Cirrus SR20 and SR22 final assembly and delivery.
[99] The American company, Spirit AeroSystems, employs over 4,000 people across 7 facilities in Northern Ireland (Belfast, Dunmurry, Newtownards, and Newtownabbey) and Scotland (Prestwick Airport).
[100] Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group is a family-owned engineering services and technology business which employs over 4000 people with offices in the UK, Europe, UAE and Canada.
MBDA's missile programmes include ASRAAM, Meteor, Storm Shadow, Rapier, Sea Wolf, CAMM and Brimstone among others.
It is currently developing a new, fully composite, training aircraft with the aim to replace existing aging military and civilian fleets.
Alongside core operations in Italy and the UK, the company trades in the United States, Germany, Turkey, Romania, Brazil, Saudi Arabia and India.
