The AMRC sets out policy roadmap at Farnborough Airshow to keep UK aerospace manufacturing ‘flying high’
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The AMRC sets out policy roadmap at Farnborough Airshow to keep UK aerospace manufacturing 'flying high'
The UK's position as a global aerospace heavyweight is at a critical juncture, according to a new policy paper published by the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) calling for a national five-year mission to secure next-generation aircraft production.
Unveiled today (Tuesday, July 21) at the Farnborough International Airshow, the policy paper titled 'Flying high: Driving innovation, resilience and growth of UK aerospace' outlines a strategic path to maintain and grow a sector that makes up 10 per cent of the global market – contributing £14.3 billion to the UK economy and supporting more than 100,000 highly skilled jobs.
Authored by the AMRC's chief executive officer Ben Morgan and chief technology officer Andrew Silcox, the publication highlights a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the UK to anchor future high-rate, low-carbon commercial flight manufacturing.
With global demand soaring toward an estimated 65,000 new aircraft by 2050, industry giants Airbus and Boeing are preparing to launch entirely new aircraft families built on advanced, sustainable technologies, while Rolls-Royce has shared ambitions to re-enter the narrowbody market for the first time in more than a decade.
These aviation primes will soon be choosing industrial partners to help deliver their future aircraft and engine programmes. To win these major contracts and capture a growing share of this shifting market, UK suppliers must rapidly develop and adopt advanced technologies, processes and skills by the end of this decade.
A decisive moment for UK supply chains
Ben Morgan, CEO at the University of Sheffield AMRC, said: “The coming years will be decisive for the country's manufacturing footprint. The critical pinch point right now is our Tier 1 supply chain – companies that hold the key to delivering future aerospace platforms but often lack visibility of rapid technical advances or the deep resources needed to invest in them.
"This policy paper is a direct call to action. It outlines the precise interventions – from de-risking industrial development through the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) to scaling supply chain incentives and rebuilding our national skills frameworks – required to ensure the UK captures its share of a booming global market.
"At the AMRC, we are putting our 25-year engineering expertise to immediate use. By bridging the gap between cutting-edge academic research and the shop floor, we are empowering the supply chain to deploy the advanced, high-rate manufacturing methods needed to secure UK aerospace leadership for decades to come."
Three priorities to secure next-generation aerospace production
To secure the future of UK aerospace production, the policy paper outlines three key recommendations:
- De-risk industrial development: maintain long-term collaboration and funding via the ATI to provide continuous leadership for future technology needs.
- Scale the supply chain: provide targeted incentives through HM Treasury and the Department for Business and Trade to ensure suppliers of all sizes can invest in physical equipment and digital software.
- Build skills at all levels: align national training frameworks directly with next-generation digital manufacturing methodologies.
The policy paper's strategic recommendations draw directly on a quarter-century of proven manufacturing impact, during which the AMRC has anchored massive private sector investment into the UK, partnering with over 1,100 businesses annually.
The AMRC has consistently demonstrated that targeted interventions unlock immense national economic resilience: from acting as a key delivery partner for Airbus’s Wing of Tomorrow programme and bringing Boeing's only European factory to Sheffield, to developing automated processes that allowed Rolls-Royce to manufacture aero-engine discs 50 per cent faster and unlock a £110 million investment in a state-of-the-art facility in Washington, Tyne and Wear.
Industry leaders back the AMRC's call for a national five-year mission for UK aerospace
In support of the policy paper, Richard Coates, head of government relations at the Aerospace Technology Institute said: “UK aerospace has a generational opportunity to double its market value by 2035 supporting jobs and growth across the country. The University of Sheffield AMRC's paper demonstrates this growth opportunity with innovation at its core.
“Cutting edge R&D centres like the AMRC are key to unlocking that growth through collaboration which boost competitiveness and the ATI is proud to support them including through the ATI Programme."
Katherine Bennett CBE, chief executive officer of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, said: “UK aerospace has spent decades proving what it can do and the opportunity in front of us now is bigger than anything the sector has seen in a generation. This policy paper sets out exactly the kind of coordinated long-term action that will let UK suppliers win their share of the next generation of aircraft programmes.
“At High Value Manufacturing Catapult, we're ready to work alongside industry and government to develop the innovation that allows our manufacturers to compete in the global market and AMRC has been an outstanding partner in that mission.”
Access your copy
The full policy paper, Flying high: Driving innovation, resilience and growth of UK aerospace, is available.