- Major portion of wing and fuselage structure supplied by GKN Aerospace
The US Navy and Northrop Grumman have successfully completed first flight of the second Unmanned Combat Air System Carrier Demonstration (UCAS-D) air vehicle. As part of a multi-year contract, GKN Aerospace has designed and manufactured a large portion of the fuselage and wing structure for this pioneering aircraft.
The tailless aircraft’s complex centre fuselage, wings, bay covers and actuated doors, all produced by GKN Aerospace, contain a lightweight aluminium, titanium or composite substructure that is covered by several hundred square feet of durable, light weight carbon reinforced composite skins. Each wing supports a spoiler flight control surface and hosts fully integrated electrical and hydraulic routings. The wing design also incorporates a fold capability that enables the air vehicle to achieve a smaller footprint for aircraft carrier stowage.
The company’s teams at its development centre in Nashville, TN and manufacturing operation in St. Louis, MO used advanced design tools and analysis techniques, with state of the art production equipment, to develop and produce more than 650 high performance metallic and composite structures and assemblies for each aircraft.
Kevin Cummings, President and CEO, Aerostructures - North America, GKN Aerospace comments: “GKN Aerospace is extremely proud to have designed and built a large portion of the X-47B’s complex, high performance metallic and composite airframe. We look forward to the continued success of this transformational Navy programme over the coming years.”
Editor’s notes:
GKN plc is a global engineering business serving the automotive, aerospace and land systems markets. It has operations in more than 30 countries, around 42,000 employees in subsidiaries and joint ventures and sales of GBP 5.4 billion in the year to 31 December 2010. GKN plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: GKN).
GKN Aerospace is the aerospace operation of GKN plc, serving a global customer base and operating in North America, the Asia Pacific and Europe. With sales of GBP1.5bn, the business is focused around three major product areas - aerostructures, propulsion systems and transparencies, plus a number of specialist products - electro-thermal ice protection, fuel and flotation systems, and bullet resistant glass. The business is equally split along military and civil lines with significant participation on all major aircraft programmes today. GKN Aerospace is a major supplier of complex composite structures; offers one of the most comprehensive capabilities in high performance metallics processing and is the world leading supplier of cockpit transparencies and passenger cabin windows.
For further information, please contact:
Sandra Fearon
Public Relations Manager for Aerospace
GKN Aerospace
Tel: +44 (0)1983 283649
Mobile: +44 (0)7767 334804
Email: sandra.fearon@gknaerospace.com