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Spirit busy ‘optimising’ LANCA vehicle design ahead of 2023 first flight

28th April 2021 - 18:30 GMT | by Tim Martin in London

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Spirit AeroSystems is optimising its design for the Lightweight Affordable Novel Combat Aircraft. (Photo: MoD/Crown Copyright)

Belfast-based Spirit Aerospace is looking ahead to a possible first LANCA flight in 2023, as it weighs up air vehicle design considerations.

A spokesperson for Spirit AeroSystems in Belfast has told Shephard it is currently ‘optimising’ its Lightweight Affordable Novel Combat Aircraft (LANCA) vehicle design, which the company aims to fly in 2023 for the first time.

As plans are at an early stage and linked to further R&D, an exact date for first flight is ‘being continually assessed', the spokesperson added.

The UK MoD awarded Spirit a £30 million ($41.73 million) contract on 25 January 2021 to design and manufacture a LANCA prototype under Project Mosquito Phase 2.

The manufacturer currently leads Team Mosquito alongside Northrop Grumman UK and engineering firm Intrepid

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Tim Martin

Tim Martin is Air Editor for Shephard Media, based in Belfast.

Tim has experience writing …

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