GKN Aerospace commits to Airbus SusWingS program

GKN Aerospace (Redditch, U.K.) continues its commitment to advancing sustainable high-performance wing technologies through its collaboration with Airbus, Cranfield University and the University of Sheffield on Airbus’ Sustainable Wing Solutions (SusWingS) development program. This £15 million project, supported by £8 million from the U.K.’s Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI), is dedicated to creating high-performance wings and environmentally conscious manufacturing processes. The SusWingS program builds on the technologies developed in the Wing of Tomorrow (WOT) suite of projects and introduces innovative advancements to prepare the U.K. aerospace industry for a sustainable future.

Since 2020, GKN Aerospace has been a key player in the Airbus-led WOT program for aircraft wing design; over the past 2 years, GKN has successfully delivered three fixed trailing edge assemblies. These assemblies are now integral components of three full-scale WOT demonstrators being tested at Airbus’ facilities in Broughton and Filton, U.K.

The SusWingS initiative is the next step, addressing a comprehensive range of topics in wing design and manufacturing, including:

• Development of single-sided fasteners for one-way assembly, replacing traditional two-piece fasteners;
• Advancements in carbon fiber composite materials; and
• State-of-the-art numerical analysis models for predicting structural behavior.

By integrating these technologies into major components and assemblies, the project also focuses on monitoring and minimizing the environmental impact of these processes, addressing key emissions and sustainability metrics such as VOC, CO₂, waste, water and energy.

“GKN Aerospace has worked alongside Airbus on critical wing technologies for several decades, and we are delighted to be continuing that partnership,” says John Pritchard, president of civil airframe at GKN Aerospace. “SusWingS builds on the success of Airbus’ Wing of Tomorrow program, to develop more sustainable wings essential for the next-generation of aircraft. Our continued participation underscores GKN Aerospace’s commitment to pioneering more efficient, high-performance technologies. By collaborating in the U.K. eco-system with Airbus, Cranfield University and the University of Manchester, we are jointly pushing the boundaries of aerodynamics, structures and materials to shape a sustainable future of flight.”

The SusWingS program is currently 6 months into its timeline, showing promising progress, and is expected to be completed by Q1 2026.