Typhoon programme spends over £12.5m with region’s suppliers

MORE than £12.5m was spent with supply chain companies in Yorkshire and the Humber last year by the team behind one of the world’s leading fighter aircraft.

Figures revealed by the Eurofighter Typhoon programme, the four-nation consortium behind the jet which is flown by air forces across the globe including the RAF, show the amount it spent with UK suppliers during 2013.

The supply chain includes Huddersfield-based Wesco Aircraft which supplies a range of bins and kitting which can be found through the production facilities of the world-leading aircraft.

A total of 13 companies from the Yorkshire and the Humber were among the nationwide supply chain which benefited from more than £650m of spending last year.

Chris Boardman, managing director of BAE Systems Military Air and Information (MAI) business, said the figures underlined the importance of the Typhoon programme to the UK economy as well as supplying cutting-edge technology to the nation’s armed forces.

He said: “When we see one of the RAF’s elite pilots take to the air in a Typhoon, it is the collective achievement of thousands of people across the country whose day-to-day jobs make it happen.

“From Leith in Scotland to Christchurch on the South Coast and Cambridge in the east right out to Tewkesbury in the South West, the programme is supporting highly-skilled people which make our supply chain tick.

“We recognise the value these people bring to our business and work closely with them to help them invest in their people and technology.

“This way we can not only ensure Typhoon is a world-leading product, but that UK plc retains the talent and capability which has kept it at the cutting edge for so many generations.”