The Aerospace, Defence, Security and Space industries have had support in recent Government and industry announcements.  From the Government publishing the EU white paper yesterday, the launch of the Government’s Industrial Strategy consultation and  ADS releasing the Annual Commercial Aircraft Order and Delivery data, which showed a record sixth year in a row for Aerospace industry production levels.

Speaking on the Annual Aircraft Order and Delivery Data, Jesse Norman, Minister for Industry and Energy, gave assurances to the UK Aerospace supply chain that they will benefit from increasing aircraft orders.

He said:

The Government is investing £80m in the Sharing in Growth (SiG) supply chain performance improvement programme. The Government is also supporting the National Aerospace Technology Exploitation Programme (NATEP) to help SMEs innovate, develop and market technology. In addition, the Government has supported industry development of the Supply Chain Competitiveness Charter, where larger aerospace companies commit to share growth opportunities with suppliers in return for continued improvement in operational performance.

It is always promising to see the Government’s continuing support for SMEs and the supply chain, especially by investing in innovation, technology and research to ensure companies remain productive and competitive.

The Minister for Industry and Energy also said:

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has allocated £1.95bn to 2026 to co-fund aerospace related R&D activities. 160 technology projects worth £1.3 billion are currently under way, spanning wings, engines, aero structures and advanced systems. This involves 195 different companies and organisations, including over 100 SMEs.

SMEs contribute to the UK’s industrial landscape by supporting local economic growth, increasing national productivity and enabling the UK to become more globally competitive. Government and industry are developing initiatives that are enabling companies to succeed in partnership through industrial strategies.