Aerospace Engineering R&D Trends Q-1 2019

How are aerospace enterprises leveraging R&D service providers? (Deals/Contracts/ Partnerships)

• 1

  Airbus will deploy Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform to take major step forward in its digital transformation. Airbus makes digital design, manufacturing and services a reality across all divisions and product lines

• 2

  Robert Bosch Engineering and Business Solutions (RBEI) has opened a digital acceleration centre for MTU, the core business of Rolls-Royce Power Systems

• 3

  LTTS selected as the ER&D partner for optimising product design and manufacturing processes of a European aerospace major. The scope of work by LTTS involves 3D digitization, mesh generation in computational field simulation and manufacturing blueprints.

• 4

  Airbus selects Icertis for digital transformation of its supply chain

• 5

  Belcan is one of the service providers for $50 billion multi year contract from US Navy.

• 6

  Rolls Royce selects Infosys as its another engineering service partner. Rolls Royce already works with TCS, QuEST, Robert Bosch Engineering in India for engineering services.

• 7

  An interesting partnership between Akka Technologies and Hyperloop TT. Engineering service providers can play a role in hyperloop technology development and trials.

How are aerospace enterprises organizing their R&D? (GICs/ R&D Best Practices)

• 1

  Thales launched its Global Engineering Competence Centre in Bengaluru. The centre aims to serve the needs of both the Indian market and the Group’s global objectives. It targets to hire 3,000 engineers in the next three-five years along with its partners.

• 2

  Lockheed Martin breaks ground on $50M R&D facility in Florida

• 3

  Airbus evolving into digital company as it develops Skywise data platform

• 4

  Safran will increase its R&D spend by 30%. It is preparing for new cycle of R&D spend of $1 Billion for new programs

• 5

  Safran has officially opened a new R&D center for advanced aero-engine turbine blades at its site in Genevillers near Paris. 30+ engineers at the R&D center will use multidisciplinary design and technologies such as single-crystal casting, 3D-printed ceramic cores, thermal coatings, cooling circuits, digitized processes, self-adapting micro-drilling and non-destructive testing that uses artificial intelligence to develop next generation, very high performance turbine blades

• 6

  GKN Aerospace announced GBP 32 million global technology center in Bristol

• 7

  Airbus will increase its strength of engineers and data scientists in India from 600 to 1000

• 8

  Bombardier announced that it will invest a total of approximately $22 million CAD over a three-year period into two major aerospace research projects: Aéro21 and the third phase of the SA²GE project.

Aerospace industry news

• 1

  Airbus will stop manufacturing A380 by 2021

• 2

  Safran acquires ElectroMechanical Systems business from Collins Aerospace

• 3

  Belcan announces the acquisition of Sitec Design UK

• 4

  Boeing considering 797 with $15 billion investment

• 5

  Bombardier to acquire Global 7500 aircraft wing program from Triumph Group Inc.

• 6

  Indian Ministry of Defense cleared Rs 40,000 crore ($6 billion+) submarines project. These submarines will be produced in India by a strategic partner in collaboration with a global OEM. Four OEMs showed interest in RFI: ThyssenKrupp, Kockums, Naval Group and Rosoboronexport.

• 7

  Innovation at ISRO. Reusable rockets which can land on runway can slash cost by 90%.

• 8

  Safran to setup manufacturing facility in Telangana, India for producing parts of LEAP engine. It will create local supply chain in India for Safran.

• 9

  Indian Defense PSUs have shed about 25% of their staff in the last five years. One of the reason is outsourcing which is currently estimated to be 20-25%. Defense outsourcing can increase upto 50% in next few years

• 10

  P&W jet engines which power A320neo in India are under regulatory scanner.

• 12

  Anti-drone technology – a new emerging market. There are over 40,000 airports in the world including 17,000+ commercial airports. Imagine the potential market created.

• 13

  MRJ has reached the final phase of Type Certification.

• 14

  A new flight-control feature in Boeing aircraft suspected of playing a role in crash in Indonesia for Boeing 737 Max.

• 15

  Second Boeing 737 Max crash in Ethopia. This crash appears similar to Indonesian Lion Air crash couple of months back where instability in vertical speed was observed after takeoff. That time change in avionics UI was investigated as one of the possible resons. China grounds all Boeing 737 Max. India seeks info.

• 16

  Aerion Selects Spirit AeroSystems for AS2 Supersonic Business Jet Program

• 17

  Rolls Royce has withdrawn from a competition to provide engines to Boeing’s planned mid-market aircraft. Instead Rolls Royce will focus its efforts in sorting Trent 1000 challenges. So now major competition will be between Safran/GE and P&W for Boeing planned mid-market aircraft .

• 18

  Qantas Airlines achieves a 94% part availability rate with Servigistics

• 19

  Israeli startup Eviation Aircraft and Siemens announced yesterday they will jointly develop propulsion systems for the Alice, Eviation’s nine-passenger all-electric regional commuter plane. Siemens will supply low-weight, high-power electric motors for the plane, which will conduct its first test flight later this year.

Aerospace consultant/ analyst updates

• 1

  Deloitte: 2019 global aerospace and Defense industry outlook ( Link )

• 2

  Aviation Week: A380 After Market is $28 billion opportunity till 2028. It will be dominated by Middle East and APAC.