Wales’ £3.7 billion aerospace and defence industries are going from strength-to-strength, with around 285 companies now manufacturing in the country, the Welsh Government has revealed.
Whilst visiting the prestigious Paris Airshow, the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Rebecca Evans, also reinforced the Welsh Government’s commitment to growing the closely integrated aerospace and defence sectors.
Combined, Wales’ aerospace and defence sectors support 16,000 jobs, have a turnover of more than £3.7 billion, and contribute around £1.5 billion in GVA to the Welsh economy.
Eight of the world's top 11 global aerospace and defence companies maintain significant operations in Wales, including Airbus, RTX (formerly Raytheon), General Dynamics, GE Aerospace, BAE Systems, Safran, Rolls Royce and Thales.
Speaking as part of the week-long event in Parc des Expositions de Paris-Le Bourget, the Cabinet Secretary highlighted the nation's key capabilities in the aerospace sector and its support of growth in defence equipment and technologies production, emphasising the established facilities, skilled workforce, and robust supply chains already in place across Wales.
The Cabinet Secretary, Rebecca Evans, said:
“Wales boasts world class capabilities in the defence and aerospace sectors and Paris Airshow represents a global platform to further raise the profile of Wales as a dynamic hub for inward investment.
“We are committed to delivering for Welsh companies and supporting them to create new jobs in the industries of the future.”
The Welsh Government said it was working to ensure that Wales benefits from additional expenditure in the defence sector, recently attending DSEI in Japan and soon to be taking a delegation of companies to DSEI in London in September.
