The United States Air Force (USAF) recently ’flew in’ to the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) to see how the world-leading technologies and techniques could reshape its day-to-day operations.

A delegation from RAF Lakenheath, home to the 48th Fighter Wing, visited the AMRC facilities in Rotherham and Sheffield to understand how digital technologies, composite materials and advanced machining could be integrated into the USAF’s maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) processes.

Last year, the AMRC worked with RAF Leeming, home to the RAF’s innovation hub RAF eXperimental (RAFX), to demonstrate how Industry 4.0 digital technologies could transform how it operates and trains its workforce.

Sergeant Joseph Slaughter, fabrication flight superintendent in the 48th Equipment Maintenance Squadron, based at RAF Lakenheath, said: “The visit to the AMRC was organised to explore manufacturing capabilities of industry partners and find opportunities for collaboration outside of maintenance and the wing.

“The 48th Equipment Maintenance Squadron (EMS) created the Advanced Manufacturing Working Group (AMWG) to identify opportunities to pool collective resources — such as 3-D printing and other advanced manufacturing capabilities — to design and manufacture tools, parts, and items for non-aviation equipment and aviation components.

“The 48th EMS has identified this opportunity due to increased supply system shortfalls concurrent with the ageing support equipment and aircraft fleet.”

At the AMRC’s flagship Factory 2050 facility, which is on the site of the former Sheffield airport, the group was shown augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) headsets, discrete event simulation software, smart benches, and other digital technologies. At the nearby Factory of the Future in Rotherham, there were demonstrations of the AMRC’s capabilities in advanced machining and the latest composite manufacturing processes.

Jonathan Bray, the AMRC’s senior sector engagement manager for defence and space, said: “It was great to show the USAF around our facilities and explain how cutting-edge technologies can be applied to its operations.

“There is real capacity for us to enhance the way RAF Lakenheath operates by transferring the same innovations that have driven step changes in the aerospace and automotive sectors into the USAF’s processes. There is so much we can achieve together in terms of safety, productivity and sustainability, and I look forward to having more discussions in the future.”