Aerospace is a highly regulated, safety-critical, high-tech, advanced manufacturing sector, made up of businesses that design, develop, manufacture and maintain aircraft for civil and defence uses.
It is a global, high-growth industry with demand for aircraft directly linked to global economic growth.
The UK remains one of the world’s leading aerospace nations.
The sector is characterised by complex, technology-rich products with long product life cycles. There is high, upfront investment to develop new aircraft, often taking a decade or so, and the aircraft then require in-service maintenance, repair and overhaul for many decades more.
The now-urgent need to dramatically reduce aircraft carbon emissions is creating a new, potentially revolutionary technology agenda for the aerospace industry. A range of possible technical solutions is being developed in the drive towards achieving a “Jet Zero” goal: e.g. sustainable aviation fuels, electric, hybrid and hydrogen-powered flights.
(The aviation industry, consisting of airlines, airports, military aviation, is considered a distinct industry.)
