GKN Aerospace leads ASPIRE programme

• ASPIRE (Advanced Structural Product Integrated Airframe), will deliver and test three composite wingtip variants and a novel composite flap integrating automation, sustainability and manufacturability.
• Consortium includes GKN Aerospace, Carbon ThreeSixty, iCOMAT, Lineat, Pentaxia and the University of Bath, with programme support by Axillium and co-funding from the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI).

GKN Aerospace has launched ASPIRE, a new £12 million, UK R&D programme to develop and demonstrate next-generation composite wing and flap structures. The three-year programme has officially started in May 2025 and will run until April 2028.

The project will deliver three full-scale composite wingtip variants for structural testing to Ultimate Load, providing a unique opportunity to validate new technologies in highly relevant test conditions. Each wingtip variant will represent a different structural philosophy and technology set. Variant one is a bonded assembly with multiple parts, aligned with GKN Aerospace’s design approach. Variant two is a quasi-isotropic co-infused Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM) structure featuring automated deposition, forming, digital twin integration and Pentaxia’s self-heated tooling (JouleTool), representing the current state-of-the-art. Variant three, introduces non-standard fibre angles, low-energy dry fibre forming and SmaRTM processing. 

Key innovations under evaluation include iCOMAT’s Rapid Tow Sheared (RTS) lightweight structure and Carbon ThreeSixty’s stitched deltoid noodles, made from recycled carbon fibres aligned through the Lineat AFFT process. These developments are supported by analytical and numerical methods developed by the University of Bath.

Alongside the wingtip demonstrators, ASPIRE will also develop an optimised composite flap. The flap demonstration will feature a pre-preg manufacturing approach with RTS skins (iCOMAT), tailored fibre placed brackets (Carbon Three Sixty), low-energy out-of-autoclave curing moulds and press-cured ribs. A key programme milestone will be achieving TRL6 for the press-curing of composite ribs. This builds on GKN Aerospace’s experience producing the A350 flap in Munich and will support future improvements for the next-generation single aisle aircraft.

John Pritchard, President Civil Airframe, GKN Aerospace said:
“ASPIRE is a perfect example of the power of UK collaboration to drive aerospace innovation. By bringing together specialist SMEs, academic expertise, and GKN Aerospace’s industrial leadership, this programme will accelerate the development of high-rate, sustainable composite wing technologies. It strengthens our position as a trusted technology partner for future aircraft platforms and reinforces our commitment to shaping a more efficient and more sustainable aerospace industry”