Aerospace sector revs up to £8bn so far this year

The value of aircraft production to the UK in the first four months of 2017 is estimated at £8 billion, the industry's trade body says in a report today.

Industry body ADS says the next government has 'important choices' to make in supporting the UK aerospace sector. Picture: Sean Gallup/Getty Images

Orders placed so far this year are worth an expected further £4.6bn, says ADS, which represents companies in the UK aerospace, defence, security and space sectors.

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Companies delivered 406 aircraft in the first four months of this year, just one fewer than the same period of 2016, with the backlog of orders at its fifth-highest level ever recorded – more than 13,300.

ADS chief executive Paul Everitt said: “Aerospace industry production continues to closely match the record figures achieved in 2016 and deliveries of completed aircraft are already worth £8bn to the UK economy this year.”

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Everitt said there were “important choices to be made by the next government” on industrial strategy, innovation and creating a business environment that could further help UK aerospace.

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