Spirit Europe, the UK based European Headquarters of Spirit AeroSystems, has signed a contract with Airbus to design and produce a major wing structure for the A350 XWB (Xtra Wide-Body) programme. Spirit will design and assemble the wing leading edge structure primarily at its European facility in Prestwick, Scotland. The Composite Front Spar will be built at Spirit's recently announced facility in Kinston, North Carolina, USA, with composite sub-assemblies being manufactured at the Spirit Malaysia facility at Subang, near Kuala Lumpur. The structure, incorporating advanced technology, will be made of about 50 percent carbon fiber content and will measure 32 meters long.
In addition, Spirit has reached an agreement worth $1.7 billion with Airbus to extend their existing contract to supply leading and trailing edges and other wing structures on the Airbus A319, A320 and A321 range assembled in the UK from 2011 until 2015.
