Advancing UK Aerospace, Defence, Security & Space Solutions Worldwide
  • Home
  • /
  • Aerospace
  • /
  • Spirit AeroSystems welcomes Belcan to AIC in Prestwick

Aerospace

Spirit AeroSystems welcomes Belcan to AIC in Prestwick

ADS Member, Spirit AeroSystems, announced today that Belcan will be onsite as a Strategic Partner in Spirit's Aerospace Innovation Centre (AIC) in Prestwick, Scotland, working directly alongside Spirit engineers when the facility opens.

Above: Dr Sean Black, Spirit Vice President and Chief Engineer of Programmes (left, centre) and Keith Matthews, President of Belcan International (right, centre), signed the MoU earlier this year in Prestwick to formalise the agreement.
(Photo was taken in February, pre-social distancing requirements)
Image courtesy Spirit AeroSystems

Advertisement
ODU RT

The companies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enter into a strategic partnership. Belcan, a global supplier of engineering, supply chain, technical recruiting and information technology services (with its UK HQ in Derby), will provide Spirit with broad-based engineering capabilities and specific skills, primarily focused on supporting Spirit's wing engineering activities in Prestwick. This includes multi-disciplinary engineering skills, program management and manufacturing engineering resources.

"We are pleased to announce this partnership and MoU as key milestones in securing the high-level engineering talent required to support the design and build of Spirit's innovative aerostructures. This powerful collaboration further enhances Spirit's ability to continue to leverage our full suite of Distinctive Capabilities, particularly in developing advanced aircraft architectures, to define the aircraft of tomorrow," said Dr Sean Black, Spirit Vice President and Chief Engineer of Programmes.

"We look forward to increasing and strengthening our world-class support of Spirit through this MoU," said Lance Kwasniewski, CEO of Belcan. "This solid collaboration draws upon Belcan's broad and deep engineering expertise, full lifecycle capabilities and global experience to continue as Spirit's trusted engineering services partner."

"We are proud to be Spirit's engineering service provider of choice and delighted to sign this MoU as a demonstration of our commitment," Matthews said. "Belcan is looking forwarding to creating tremendous value for Spirit as they shape the future of the aerostructures market."

Advertisement
ODU RT

The AIC is an 85,000 square foot centre to house Spirit's engineering design and manufacturing expertise alongside advanced development and pre-production equipment in a collaborative environment with key partners.  
 

 

Advertisement
FIA2026 animated banner
Aston University secures £3.9m to boost aerospace and cybersecurity skills

Aerospace Security

Aston University secures £3.9m to boost aerospace and cybersecurity skills

10 June 2026

Aston University has secured almost £4 million in new funding to improve the UK’s aerospace engineering and cybersecurity skills.

Marshall Aerospace completes initial flight model for Horizon Aircraft’s Cavorite X7

Aerospace

Marshall Aerospace completes initial flight model for Horizon Aircraft’s Cavorite X7

10 June 2026

Marshall Aerospace has successfully completed a flight dynamics and control model to support Horizon Aircraft’s Cavorite X7, a revolutionary dual-use hybrid-electric vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft currently in prototype development.

NATS invests in carbon removals with CUR8

Aerospace

NATS invests in carbon removals with CUR8

9 June 2026

NATS has committed £500k to carbon removals through carbon removals intelligence provider CUR8, contributing to an initiative led by the UK Sustainable Aviation coalition, to stimulate the carbon removals market as part of a £2 million Advance Market Signal.

HutanBio partners with Wakud on scalable SAF feedstocks

Aerospace

HutanBio partners with Wakud on scalable SAF feedstocks

9 June 2026

Cambridge biotechnology company HutanBio, which is developing algae-derived oils for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), has signed its first commercial offtake Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Oman's Wakud International, as the aviation industry searches for new feedstock sources capable of supporting future SAF demand.

Advertisement
ODU RT
Tekever and Sapient Perception to explore airborne ISR sensing integration

Aerospace Security Space

Tekever and Sapient Perception to explore airborne ISR sensing integration

9 June 2026

Tekever and Sapient Perception have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore the integration and evaluation of Sapient Perception’s 10K camera system on Tekever uncrewed aerial systems.

Barrow school to launch technical education pathway

Aerospace Defence

Barrow school to launch technical education pathway

8 June 2026

Walney School in Barrow-in-Furness is going to be introducing an innovative employer-led technical education pathway in September, which aims to equip young people with the skills for high-quality careers and to help local employers tackle skills shortages.

Advertisement
ODU RT
Advertisement
General Atomics LB