Leading aircraft manufacturer Airbus has joined the UK and Welsh Governments to announce a collaborative investment of more than £100 million in research, development and training which will ensure the UK continues to lead the world in aerospace.

The research and development elements of a number of projects will be carried out with the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI), a £2 billion joint investment between industry and government aimed at developing the R&D activity necessary for the UK to win work on future aerospace programmes.

A total of £48 million is being invested in a project at the Broughton plant in North Wales which will develop new systems and technologies for building aircraft wings. The Welsh Government has also committed a further £8.1 million over the next five years for training and upskilling those already working in Welsh aerospace, and will help train the Welsh workforce to fully exploit the investment in new technology.

Prime Minister David Cameron said: “Aerospace is a real cornerstone of British business, supporting over 100,000 jobs across the UK, and is worth over £27 billion to our economy every year. With this investment we are backing our aerospace sector so that it continues to thrive as a key part of our long-term economic plan to back business, create jobs and secure a brighter future for Britain.”