The GKN Aerospace pylon design will be manufactured using a combination of composite and metallic components to achieve specified weight and performance targets.

First deliveries of development units for vibration testing will take in February 2012. Production deliveries will commence in early 2013 and continue through to 2020.

"This contract represents the successful development of our existing wing structures and fuel delivery systems businesses," says Jeff Armitage, Vice President and MD Nacelles at GKN Aerospace. "It takes us into an important new customer relationship with Cobham – and into a market where our expertise in complex composite, metallic and hybrid wing structures can bring real operational advantage."

GKN Aerospace has already designed, and now supplies, the Airbus A400M wing spar –- the world’s first all-composite wing spar for a large aircraft. This structure is manufactured using a number of state of the art processes, including automated tape laying (ATL).