Supersonic aircraft company Aerion, has entered into a memorandum of agreement to expand the role of Spirit AeroSystems in the development of the AS2 business jet to include production of the forward fuselage. As part of the agreement, Spirit has committed to additional investment in the AS2 program and has increased engineering resources working on the design of the AS2’s forward fuselage.
Aerion and Spirit first began formal collaboration in early 2019, working on preliminary design of the AS2’s forward, pressurized fuselage. Joining the project in the early formative stages of the AS2, Spirit’s technical expertise has significantly advanced the design evolution as Aerion moves the supersonic business jet toward production beginning in 2023. At full rate, it is expected that Spirit will build 36 forward fuselage assemblies per year.
Aerion’s pursuit of faster point-to-point travel begins with the launch of the new AS2 supersonic private jet. Designed to be inherently environmentally responsible from first flight, the AS2 is the first supersonic jet designed to be powered by 100 percent synthetic fuel and reach supersonic speeds without the need for an afterburner.