UK Aerospace Research Consortium Network

This proposal is to set up an EPSRC Network for the UK Aerospace Research Consortium (UK-ARC)

The primary aim of the UK-ARC Network is to accelerate UK-based technology advancement within priority aerospace and aviation disciplines through strategic national research coordination, new multi-university inspired projects, enabling access to world class research facilities and international influence.
The combined Aerospace and Aviation sectors contribute £84bn to the UK's GDP and collectively employ some 1.25m people. These sectors are crucial enablers to UK productivity through the employment of highly-skilled workers, creating high-value transportation products, primarily for export markets, and services which themselves drive and facilitate further economic growth. As global passenger numbers continue to rise, the demand for new aircraft will be tempered by the need to meet increasingly stringent environmental targets. Aviation is also on the cusp of its third transformative revolution which will see transformative aircraft architectures, such as drone services, urban/rural air mobility and new sub-regional aircraft incorporating high degrees of electrification and autonomy.

The UK Aerospace Research Consortium (UK-ARC) is seeking to coordinate the research base acting as a single interface with UK-based industry, responding to their requests and, importantly, challenging potentially preconceived ideas of the future of aviation. This single 'front door' approach to research capability for industry provides efficiency, effectiveness and the research organisation builds a longer term, enduring relationship which is currently not available in the UK.

The UK-ARC network will facilitate and enable connectivity, collaboration and co-creation of research delivered by UK-ARC members and partners considering the emerging urgent challenges within the Aerospace and Aviation sectors including: Climate Change, the move towards electrification, high value design and providing a streamlined access for industry to the UK's research base.

The Network will establish:
1. New, and strengthen existing, research partnerships between UK-ARC and other relevant national and international institutions
2. A new international exchange programme between UK-ARC early career researchers and international aerospace research bodies to create an international network of researchers.
3. Clusters of excellence around a number of timely research themes (Alternative energy sources, More energy-efficient aircraft , Optimised flight operations and future airspace management, More sustainable manufacturing, Optimising ground operations, More sustainable through-life engineering services) and develop high quality research proposals that will have clear and significant impact on the sector's environmental impact reduction requirements.
4. Sustained engagement through the placement of early career researchers into the respective international organisations for the purposes of developing trusted technical networks with the UK expert communities. On their return, the researchers will continue to develop the networks and so establish long lasting cross institutional international relationships.