Aerospace HQ ignites technology drive
1 min read
A new aerospace headquarters that will help allocate two billion pounds of funding to research and technology projects across the country has opened.
Business minister Michael Fallon hailed the initiative at the official opening of the headquarters of the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) in Cranfield, Bedfordshire.
The creation of the ATI was, he said, a major commitment in the Government's Industrial Strategy, established to keep the UK at the forefront of the global aerospace sector. The new institute will oversee the UK's technology strategy for the next generation of quieter, more energy efficient aircraft.
Fallon said: "The UK has the number one aerospace industry in Europe. I want to make sure we keep it that way. This HQ at Cranfield is one of many new projects supported by Aerospace Technology Institute funding. By supporting partnerships between companies and universities across the UK, we are building the high-grade skills and technologies that will drive sustained growth.
"The Government's industrial strategy will give the industry the long-term certainty it needs to stay competitive and create jobs, and will ensure the UK remains one of the world's most attractive locations for aerospace manufacturing."
Gary Elliott, former CEO of Hybrid Air Vehicles, has been appointed chief executive of the ATI.
The UK's aerospace sector contributes £24 billion to the economy every year, supports 3,000 companies and employs 230,000 workers across the UK. Three quarters of the industry's product is exported.
