Multi-million pound boost for UK aerospace innovation from new Technology Strategy Board competition

Innovation in the UK aerospace industry will be given a major boost through a new funding competition managed by the Technology Strategy Board. Announced this week by Business Minister, Michael Fallon, the competition will make a total of up to £25m available to co-fund collaborative R&D projects that support the government and industry's Aerospace Industrial Strategy (AIS), published in March this year.

Part of the strategy includes the commitment to create an Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI), with its headquarters at Cranfield Technology, which will seek to generate growth within the aerospace sector from major civil programmes. The competition will be funded from £2bn of joint government and industry investment, committed to support the ATI.

Aerospace has been highlighted as one of the ‘jewels in the crown' of the UK's advanced manufacturing sector. The UK designs, manufactures and assembles some of the most technologically complex and valuable parts of today's airliners, including the wings, engines, aero-structures and advanced aircraft systems, and is also one of only a small number of nations able to design, manufacture and support advanced helicopters.

The competition, Delivering Aerospace Industrial Strategy through advancing technology capability, will be an early opportunity for UK businesses to take part in major areas of activity within the ATI, helping to generate economic growth from within the aerospace sector. The competition will seek innovative collaborative R&D proposals which can be applied and exploited within the civil aerospace sector in the UK.

Applications are invited from all companies, including those in the aerospace supply chain, with the aim of increasing total industrial capability in the UK so that we are in a better position to win business on future aerospace programmes worldwide. The competition opens on 16 September. Find out more here.