GKN Aerospace wins life of programme wing structures contract for new Dassault Aviation SMS jet.

GKN Aerospace has been awarded a life of programme contract by Dassault Aviation to design and build the wing moveable surfaces for its next generation super mid-sized (SMS) business jet platform. This work will be undertaken by the GKN Aerospace's Filton operation and represents the first major new customer business win for the facility.

Phil Swash, President and CEO, Aerostructures – Europe at GKN Aerospace comments: "This contract opens an important and promising new relationship between our company and Dassault Aviation, one of the premier aircraft design & manufacturing businesses in the world today. It is a clear indication of the global competitiveness and depth of expertise of the GKN Aerospace team and, specifically, of our growing Filton-based wing structures activity. We would like to thank Dassault Aviation for their confidence in GKN Aerospace and look forward to growing this relationship in the coming years."

GKN Aerospace - Filton will be responsible for the complete design, component manufacture and assembly of wing moveable surfaces for the SMS,with aircraft entry into service in 2016. The company aims to bring significant performance, weight and cost benefits to the wing of Dassault's new airframe and already has engineering teams working on the programme, co-located in facilities in France and Bristol, UK.

GKN Aerospace is a leading tier one supplier of wing aerostructures with the capability, technology and infrastructure to deliver large scale complex programmes from composite and metallic primary structures and advanced systems through to wing box, leading & trailing edge assemblies and fully equipped wings.