The government needs to support research and development if the UK aerospace and defense industry is to continue what has proved to be a recession-defying success story, maintains Ian Godden, chairman of national aerospace, defense and security trade organization ADS. The comments, made at a July 13 press conference in London, were an appeal for further funding from a new British government that is aiming to achieve spending overall cuts averaging 25 percent.
Results of the annual survey that ADS (Hall 1 Stand 15) has taken over from predecessor organization the Society of British Aerospace Companies show 2009 revenues for the sector up 5.4 percent to £22.2 billion ($33.3 billion), with defense accounting for 52 percent of the total and exports amounting to 70 percent. Overall, defense sales grew 10.7 percent to £11.6 billion ($17.4 billion), with domestic sales up 5.4 percent and the weakness of sterling helping defense exports increase by 15.1 percent.
