How Spirit AeroSystems Is Moving Modern Defense Manufacturing Forward

Spirit AeroSystems is applying the best of commercial aerospace manufacturing technology to help modernize the defense industry, leveraging decades of aerostructures experience to provide added scalability, efficiency, and affordability. At Spirit AeroSystems, we’re proud to help usher in a new generation of military innovation.

Industrialization — Moving New Materials into Production

From lighter, more nimble aircraft to emerging hypersonic systems, the ability to apply new materials technology to manufacturing solutions is in great demand. Spirit AeroSystems is the world’s leader in materials industrialization, offering decades of proven experience in transforming advanced materials into quality-tested products for mass manufacturing. Beginning with integrated metallic structures through two generations of composites and onto a landscape that includes thermoplastics and CMCs, Spirit is using its broad research and technology functions to make materials fit for manufacturing.

Rapid Deployment — Designing for Manufacturability

Spirit is accelerating the pace of production for faster systems deployment through a focus on research and technology, engineering leadership, and integrated product teams (IPTs). Cross-functional teams come together early in the design process to consider all the factors that impact the manufacturing process far down the road. Spirit is able to work directly with OEMs in the design stage or serve as the program design team to deliver optimized solutions to achieve the most efficient tooling, automation, machining, manufacturing, and assembly. For both higher performance and faster deployment, the sooner Spirit is involved, the better.

Designing for Defense

Spirit Exact™ moves manufacturing forward, faster with multi-functional design teams that deliver expertise in fabrication, machine and equipment capabilities, and structural requirements. Spirit Exact results in a design-build-verification solution with increased assembly speed, elimination of hard tooling, and no drilling at final assembly.

Increased Affordability

Applying Commercial Best Practices As the world’s largest manufacturer of commercial aerostructures, Spirit brings the defense market a record of success in delivering the largest projects at the highest quality and at the highest rates. Spirit’s ability to work with dozens of customers, all with different programs, requirements and material systems, translates to a company full of people making better decisions for better outcomes at every stage of the process.

Large-Scale Capacity

Leveraging Domestic Capabilities Spirit brings the defense industry an existing industrial base, leveraging layers of supply chain management for a better understanding of “should costs” and lean processes. High-rate Spirit production demonstrates proven capabilities for manufacturing multiple programs at higher volumes every year. Spirit continues to expand its manufacturing footprint with fabrication centers of excellence throughout the Midwest, offering in-house parts production for any supplier, any time.