Exelis reaches halfway point on aerospace composites centre

ITT Exelis, headquartered in McLean, Virginia, USA, serves the aerospace, defence and information sectors, and has a growing position in cybersecurity, composite aerostructures, logistics and technical services.

The 250 000 ft2 initial addition of office and manufacturing space will provide a significantly expanded area where Exelis will fabricate aerospace composite structures.

The expansion follows the company’s strategy to invest in broad-based government and commercial solutions, such as aerostructures and air traffic management, and is being driven by increased demand for composite parts on military and commercial aircraft, including the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and the CH-53K helicopter.

With the company’s new facility, Exelis will be better positioned to meet customers’ growing needs for composites by leveraging a wider variety of automated and non-automated processes to deliver high quality structures more efficiently.

To support that growth, Exelis is working with universities and applied technical colleges in Utah to ensure a well-trained workforce is available.

The operation, which is part of the Exelis Electronic Systems division, is planned to go live in the first quarter of 2012.