September saw us open a new £30 million Single Site Logistics Hub at our Yeovil site – a state-of-the-art facility designed to revolutionise helicopter maintenance and support. Built with sustainability in mind, the hub utilises cutting-edge digital technologies to streamline the distribution of replacement parts for our global helicopter fleet, enhancing efficiency and responsiveness for customers worldwide. This investment reinforces our commitment to the South West region and our position as the UK’s only onshore helicopter manufacturer.
Leonardo also achieved the Gold standard from Investors in People (IIP) in recognition of its commitment to its employees. We received high praise for our people strategy, practices and outcomes, with particular emphasis on our strong leadership and management.
Our inaugural Artificial Intelligence (AI) Conference in Newcastle brought together defence experts to discuss AI’s transformative potential for the UK armed forces. The event highlighted the importance of accelerating AI integration to deliver operational advantage and addressed key challenges like policy, risk management and data labelling. This conference coincided with a focus article by Kim Seward, Head of Capability, emphasising the need for a solid data foundation to harness AI’s full potential.
The month also saw us, alongside the Royal Air Force (RAF), launch Ascend, a new mentoring programme aimed at fostering greater inclusion in the defence sector. This initiative paired mentors from the Leonardo Armed Forces Network with mentees from the RAF Ethnic Minorities Network, providing tailored support and creating a safe space for sharing experiences and insights.
Leonardo’s STEM ambassadors continued their engagement activities with the public and showcasing exciting technologies at the Ayr Air Show, including highlighting the capabilities and protection of aircraft like the Eurofighter Typhoon.
Our association with the Typhoon continued as we shared the latest Eurofighter ‘Meet the Expert’ article profiling Leonardo’s Bronwen Jenkins, our Typhoon UK and GCAP Programme Manager, who plays a crucial role in ensuring the RAF has the right number of Typhoon aircraft available at the right time. With 20 years’ experience in through-life support roles, Bronwen’s journey has taken her from being a Business Apprentice in Yeovil to leading the Joint Avionics Service as part of the UK’s Typhoon Total Availability Enterprise (TyTAN), as well as future GCAP support.
September also saw seven engineering apprentices in Luton successfully complete their apprenticeships with us, overcoming the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic to achieve their qualifications and secure full-time roles. This cohort demonstrated resilience and dedication, excelling in their studies, contributing to the local community through charitable initiatives, and actively participating in our inclusion and diversity programmes.
Celebrations at Luton continued this month as we also marked 20 years at the Luton site. For over two decades, Luton has been at the forefront of developing cutting-edge technology which delivers world-class defence capabilities; from the Praetorian Defensive Aids Sub-System for the Eurofighter Typhoon to the innovative BriteCloud expendable active decoy. This milestone also recognised the site’s commitment to charitable initiatives, employee longevity, and the development of future talent through apprenticeships and graduate programmes.