GKN manufacture of composite C-17 undercarriage fairing using Ingersoll fiber placement system.
GKN Aerospace (Isle of Wight, U.K.) reported on Oct. 4 that it has secured follow-on contracts worth more than $850 million (USD) from Boeing Defense Space and Security (DSS). These cover the continued supply of major structural components and sub-assemblies for the C-17 Globemaster III military transporter, the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter aircraft, the F/A-18 EA/18G Growler airborne electronic attack aircraft, and the F-15E Eagle multi-role strike fighter.
GKN Aerospace has been the sole-source supplier for items such as internal structures, external surfaces and wing leading and trailing edges for these aircraft since the company acquired the Boeing Fabrication Operations facility in St. Louis, Mo., USA, a decade ago. Following that acquisition, GKN Aerospace implemented a major investment program that has transformed the facility into a state-of-the-art metal and composite manufacture and assembly enterprise. The consistent success of this operation has led to this latest extension of supply agreements, lasting between three and seven years.
