THIS IS AEROSPACE & DEFENCE Enterprise and Expertise AER OSP ACE The Aerospace and Defence sector is thriving throughout . Over 160 companies employ more than 20,000 people here.

THIS IS AEROSPACE & DEFENCE

The Aerospace industry in Wales aerospace and defence. Today, the 60M is thriving, and Wales provides area is dedicated to shaping the world-class training, innovation sector’s future, as part of Welsh £ and expertise, from university Government’s £60 million Cardiff research to government and Airport and St Athan EZ. With a 1,800 private sector projects. metre runway resurfaced in 2009 and Shaping the sector's future – full airfield support, the Enterprise It’s a passion for progress. A driving £60m development at Zone is Wales’ new hub for Aerospace force that has attracted some of the Cardiff Airport and St Athan and Defence. It has been a major base world’s leading companies to Wales, Enterprise Zone for the Ministry of Defence (MOD) including BAE Systems, British since its opening. Deeside EZ includes Airways, GE Aviation, General a number of global companies and the Dynamics, Raytheon, Zodiac Seats 6,500 Snowdonia EZ includes Llanbedr, a site and Qioptiq. Group in North being developed for further RPAS and Wales employs 6,500 people in its potentially for a Space Port. Civilian civilian aircraft wing plant. and military projects work here side Wales can offer some of the highest by side, in areas including levels of financial incentives in the UK. maintenance, repair and overhaul and 6,500 people employed in the The sector has its own Enterprise Zone non-destructive testing, as well as pilot Airbus Group, (EZ). Since 1938, St Athan EZ in South and engineering training and 'end of Wales has been a major centre for life' aircraft recycling services. 1 THIS IS AEROSPACE & DEFENCE | Enterprise and Expertise Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS)

DEFENCE Segregated airspace for RPAS off the Parc Aberporth – the first purpose- coast of West Wales was the first of its built RPAS technology park in Europe OPERATIONS kind in the world to be established, and home to Watchkeeper – Europe’s spanning over 1,500km² of land, and largest RPAS programme operated Wales is a cornerstone of UK defence operations, through a further 7,100km² over sea – enabling by the UK MOD. full-scale testing, training, flight trials provision of workforce skills, as well as the availability of Llanbedr Airfield – an ex-military site and demonstrations. secure sites and airspace. More recently, we’ve added new with three runways, is a controlled strengths to our infrastructure. These include training, The centre of excellence for test and environment enabling safe operations systems and defence technologies. Around 100 companies evaluation of RPAS includes hangars of medium and high-altitude long in Wales are involved in creating defence applications such and laboratories at: duration RPAS. as software, biometrics, optical design and imaging.

One example is Airbus Defence and Space. From its base in Newport, the company is developing defence communication and information systems using local expertise and ingenuity. Working in South East Wales, with General Dynamics, Axiom and TT Electronics nearby, these companies have been able to access a highly skilled workforce – as well as the MOD’s procurement base, just a short drive away in Bristol. Such an active Aerospace and Defence sector provides a ready market for businesses such as Qioptiq, which designs and manufactures night vision systems for the MOD. Another is Babcock, which maintains the RAF fast-jet training fleet at RAF Valley on Anglesey, and QinetiQ, experts in defence, aerospace and security.

2 3 THIS IS AEROSPACE & DEFENCE | Enterprise and Expertise Wales is a major centre for Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO). 10% of the UK’s activity is managed here.

GE Aviation is the world MRO base managed by TWI, works to improve AEROSPACE for the GE90 engine, used in the the accuracy of inspection techniques twin-engine wide-body Boeing 777, and flaw detection. one of the most powerful engines MAINTENANCE In North Wales, DECA, Raytheon, certified for civil aircraft. In addition, Marshall Aviation Services and REPAIR AND GE handles the GP7000, which was Babcock are also engaged in developed by The Engine Alliance, a OVERHAUL (MRO) maintaining and overhauling aircraft, joint venture between GE and Pratt & drawing on the region’s extensive Whitney. This powers the new Airbus talent pool. A380 and the CFM56 family of engines – developed by CFM, which is the With so much activity and opportunity, world’s most popular aircraft engine. Wales’ MRO sector continues to grow in The business occupies a workshop volume, as well as workforce expertise. space of 1 million square feet and its customer base covers 90+ operators, A local supply chain stretching from China through Europe to the West Coast of USA and to Chile Alongside opportunities to tap into in Latin America. British Airways is local markets, businesses in Wales also committed to Welsh expertise, have suppliers on their doorstep. with three dedicated MRO facilities A mature supply chain serves both across a 50km radius. aerospace and defence markets At St Athan Aerospace Business with leading edge electronics and Park, part of the Cardiff Airport and communication systems. St Athan Enterprize Zone, there are That chain includes companies with a number of smaller companies varying aerospace expertise such emerging. Among them is eCube as Magellan, CAV, Gardner, Triumph Solutions LLP, specialising in end-of- Actuation, Metal Improvement life aircraft projects. St Athan is also Company, Curtiss Wright and Tritech. home to Cardiff Aviation, a fully approved and certified aviation Companies like Solvay and Timet are maintenance, engineering, and also working to develop advanced technical service group. materials including composites and adhesive materials for extreme- The Non-Destructive Testing demand environments. Validation Centre in Port Talbot, 5 THIS IS AEROSPACE & DEFENCE | Enterprise and Expertise and manufacture of large optical support to companies involved in telescopes and light‐weight optics for aerospace technologies and Space satellite and airborne imaging systems. electronics through design, manufacture or integration of AEROSPACE University of South Wales opto-electronic and material The Aerospace Centre in the School technologies with reliability testing ACADEMIC FOCUS of Engineering specialises in Aircraft facilities. Maintenance Engineering. The facility There are also a number of colleges has two aircraft hangars housing providing specialist vocational skills Jetstream and Provost aircrafts and that the aerospace industry is Wales produces over 6,000 science Rolls Royce Spey engines. demanding. and engineering graduates a year. The Innovation Campus retains their position as a renowned research University Wales Trinity Saint David Within our eight universities there is a The International Centre for centre of excellence. The aerospace Demonstrate considerable expertise wealth of academic expertise applying Aerospace Training and defence expertise includes in the area of Non Destructive Testing, itself to the aerospace industry. Part of and aerodynamics research, stress and work closely with TWI. evaluation, lightning protection at the located at Cardiff Airport and St Athan Welsh Universities and Colleges in Enterprise Zone, this is an iconic Morgan Botti Research Centre, and Cardiff Metropolitan University Wales are developing their capabilities centre delivering training for CAA Propulsion performance research at This university has expertise in design, and linking together to offer world licence requirements for Parts 147 the Gas Turbine Research Centre through PDR (International Centre for class expertise and training. and 66 for aircraft maintenance. (GTRC). Also at Cardiff University is the Product Design & Research) as well National Software Academy, located as a modern School of Art & Design, 8 Welsh Universities Supporting Coleg Cymoedd at Innovation Point, increasing Wales’ housing a Perceptual Experience Aerospace This institute has aerospace facilities digital capability. Laboratory (PEL) to emulate human The 2015 state of the art Swansea at both its Nantgarw and Ystrad University Bay Campus provides perceptual experience. Glyndŵr University Mynach locations, providing world class R&D in areas such as apprentice programmes in Leading the way in research into Computational Engineering which aeronautical engineering. includes aerodynamic design for adoption of carbon fibre composites in Active within the Wales Academic aircraft manufacture, using microwave Space Partnership, they have Airbus Wings and the Bloodhound Coleg Cambria technology to bring significant supported Beagle 2 through its supersonic car. The Finite Element This is also a centre of excellence in reductions in curing cycle time. This Intelligent Robotics Group. The method and Computational Fluid aerospace engineering, providing research complements the Advanced University also offers an Earth Dynamics, allow engineers to model apprenticeship training for Airbus and Composite Training and Development Observation Research Centre, structures with increasing complexity. other aerospace companies in North Centre, in partnership with Airbus, providing expertise in both upstream The Institute of Structural Materials Wales, for both manufacturing and and Centre for Printing & Coating Coleg Cambria and the Welsh and downstream Space research. Government. Also, Glyndŵr maintenance. Its campus at Deeside further complement expertise in in particular has a strong focus on Innovations, based at the OpTIC this area. aerospace activity. Centre, is a focus for a cluster of Home to CLARET, Centre for Lifetime Photonics activity including design and Reliability Testing, which provides 6 7 THIS IS AEROSPACE & DEFENCE | Enterprise and Expertise

NETWORKING & SUPPORT

The Aeropsace Wales forum (aerospacewales.com) is the trade association for all companies and partner organisations operating in the Aerospace and Defence sector in Wales, through access to events, networking opportunities and industry expertise. Government Welsh 2016, copyright Crown © WG29489

WHAT NEXT?

The opportunities for your sector in Find out what Wales can do for Wales are many and varied – so let’s your business: talk. Call one of our team to find out more about what Wales can do for UK— your business. +44 (0) 3000 6 03000 tradeandinvest.wales

Print ISBN: 978-1-4734-7752-0 8 +44 (0) 3000 6 03000 tradeandinvest.wales