MBDA UK, part of the MBDA Group, is leading one of the seven major new collaborative research and development projects that enhance capability to support innovation in aerospace technology under the auspices of the Aerospace Growth Partnership launched by the British government and the UK Centre of Aerodynamics.  The project has been awarded funding by the Technology Strategy Board, the UK’s innovation agency, under a competition run on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

The Geometry Handling and Integration (GHandI) project, has a value of £5M investment shared between the Technology Strategy Board and industry.  It brings together key organisations in the UK aerodynamics community who are leading the exploration and optimisation of novel airframe shapes through rapid, robust, and efficient processes.

The project will develop improved modelling techniques to address the significant challenges faced when modelling airframe geometry and airflows in support of novel airframe design. It will also facilitate knowledge sharing and cross-fertilisation via complementary research activities, and establish innovative capabilities and shared understanding. Consortium members will bring their strategic research partners into the project, together with the project's nominated world-leading scientific/technical experts.  This will strengthen links with academia and the UK skill base in simulation and design. Networking to the wider UK research community will be achieved through these partners for both input and dissemination.

The MBDA-led team comprises key manufacturers (Airbus Operations, Rolls Royce and BAE Systems); aerodynamic modelling and technology providers (Transcendata, Altran UK Ltd, ARA and Cambridge Flow Solutions) and Academia (Queens University Belfast and the Universities of Bristol, Cambridge, Southampton and Strathclyde).  CFMS, a not-for-profit simulation company, are providing a supporting coordination and dissemination role.

Steve Wadey, MBDA’s Executive Group Director Technical and Managing Director UK added, “For MBDA, improving high-fidelity aerodynamic modelling techniques for complex airframes is essential for our future missile designs.  Through partnering with the wider aerodynamics community and working with such a range of technical experts in industry and academia, we are able to collectively develop and share techniques that will benefit the wider competitiveness of the UK Aerospace industry.”