Direct quote from the organisation that replaced the SBAC. At Farnborough this week.
not much of a quote pr00ne?
from Wiki:
Current manned aircraft in which the British aerospace industry has a major role include the AgustaWestland AW101, AgustaWestland AW159, Airbus A320 family, Airbus A330, Airbus A340, Airbus A380, Airbus A400M, BAE Hawk, Boeing 767, Boeing 777, Boeing 787,[8] Bombardier CRJ700, Bombardier CSeries, Bombardier Learjet 85, Britten-Norman Defender, Britten-Norman Islander, Eurofighter Typhoon, Hawker 800, Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules and Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II. Current unmanned aerial vehicles in which the British aerospace industry has a major role include the BAE Taranis, Barnard Microsystems InView Unmanned Aircraft System, QinetiQ Zephyr and Watchkeeper WK450.
So, we either make bits, or put together aircraft made by Italian, French, US or Canadian aircraft.
The
aerospace industry undoubtedly employs lots of people in the UK. The chances of the UK building a competitive, indigenous, military or civil, fixed or rotary winged,
aircraft anytime in the next 20 to 30 years are close to zero.
It pains me to say it, but I'd take the French aerospace industry over ours anytime.
S-D