Vertical Aerospace has announced long-term supplier agreements with ANH Structure Co Ltd, a specialist in advanced aircraft seating systems, and Northrop Grumman LITEF GmbH, one of the leading companies in the development and manufacturing of navigation and sensor systems, to supply key systems on its Valo electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
Under the agreements, ANH Structure will design, develop, certify and manufacture Valo’s bespoke pilot and passenger seating system, while NG LITEF will supply its LCR-110 as the aircraft’s inertial reference system, providing essential position, attitude and heading data to flight-critical systems.
The agreements further strengthen Vertical’s established supplier network, which includes Honeywell Aerospace, Sonaca, Evolito, Hyundai WIA, Synesqo, Isoclima and Astronics.
The agreements support the development of the electric Valo aircraft. Vertical’s “one platform” strategy encompasses four- and six-passenger cabin configurations, alongside electric, hybrid-electric and autonomous variants for the commercial and defence markets. A versatile platform with common systems is intended to support an efficient path through certification, manufacturing, and in-service support.
Stuart Simpson, CEO of Vertical Aerospace, said: “Valo is progressing from an advanced design into an aircraft supported by the people, systems and industrial capability needed for certification and production at scale. ANH Structure and NG LITEF each bring specialist expertise and strong certification credentials. Their selection adds further strength to the world-class supplier ecosystem behind Valo and supports our strategy to deliver one versatile platform across multiple cabin configurations and missions.”
South Korea-based ANH Structure will design, certify and manufacture a common seating platform for Valo’s pilot, observer and passenger seats. Its lightweight, bespoke design will incorporate ANH’s proprietary 30G energy-absorption technology to support Vertical’s safety, comfort, weight and cabin requirements.
With European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Design Organisation Approval and Production Organisation Approval, as well as integrated engineering, testing and manufacturing capabilities, ANH will support the programme from detailed design through certification, industrialisation and serial production.
Hyonsu Ahn, CEO of ANH Structure, said: “We are proud to work alongside Vertical on developing a seating system for Valo’s cabin configurations which aligns with their vision for passenger safety and high-end customer experience. We look forward to leveraging our lightweight, safety-led seat architecture and certification capabilities to support the Vertical team through design, certification and production.”
NG LITEF, a German company within the global Northrop Grumman Corporation with 65 years’ experience in inertial navigation, positioning and reference systems, will supply its LCR-110 inertial reference system for Valo. The LCR-110 is approved to applicable EASA and U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) technical standards for inertial reference equipment.
Daniel Martens, Director of Commercial Aviation Business Unit at NG LITEF, said: “NG LITEF brings more than 60 years of experience developing high-integrity inertial systems for some of the world’s most demanding aerospace platforms. We look forward to bringing that expertise to the Valo aircraft and supporting Vertical through integration, certification and entry into service.”
Image: Vertical Aerospace
