Transparencies
Overview
GKN Aerospace is the world’s leading provider of military transparency systems and second in the commercial aircraft transparency market.
Our industry leading development of advanced transparent coatings and vertically integrated supply of aerospace grade acrylic material are some of the keys to our strong market position. Along with a well established competence in high strength light weight glass technologies.
GKN Aerospace’s capability to jointly develop requirements with our customers, utilise proprietary design and analysis tools for achieving those requirements and deliver a qualified product through our development, testing and certification processes is seen as a key differentiator for our transparency business. As our customers continue to demand more from their aircraft transparencies, we are well positioned to meet the requirements of today's modern aircraft and our variety of product and customers demonstrates that.
GKN Aerospace’s transparency capability supports the full range of aircraft in today’s market. From supersonic military applications like the F-35 Lightning II (JSF) canopy and the Eurofighter Typhoon to the latest in commercial aircraft transparencies such as the B747-8 cockpit window and B787 passenger windows.
In addition to supporting the most advanced aircraft entering service today, we also support a variety of passenger aircraft, business aviation, and special mission aircraft with mature fleets and the need for aftermarket support. All three of GKN Aerospace's transparency manufacturing sites offer certified repair station services for commercial and military application and provides global support to aircraft operators with comprehensive component overhaul services and factory new replacement windows.
Passenger cabin windows
GKN Aerospace is the world leader in passenger cabin window design development and manufacturing.
At the core of our success is our proprietary abrasion resistant coating CrystalVue II™. Today over 2 million CrystalVue II™ coated windows are in service worldwide and our passenger windows are the product of choice for aircraft manufacturers and airlines worldwide. In addition to our position on legacy programs GKN Aerospace has been selected to supply cabin windows for all recently launched commercial aircraft programmes.
Advantages
- Improved light transmission and optical clarity
- Passive coatings or micro screens prevent electromagnetic interference
Aircraft deployed on
- Design, development and production of Boeing 787, 747-8; Airbus A350 XWB; Bombardier CSeries; Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation MRJ
- 100% of Boeing production since 1996
- Airbus long range since 2005
Windshield and Cockpit windows
GKN Aerospace is an industry leader in the design, certification, testing and manufacturing of glass windshields and acrylic cockpit windows.
Windshields and cockpit windows are manufactured at three GKN Aerospace sites that offer complimentary capabilities. Key capabilities include vertically integrated acrylic supply, unique special processes including chemical tempering, transparent coating deposition and the development of application specific solutions for radio frequency shielding, electrostatic dissipation and active heating.
Advantages
- Vertically integrated acrylic supply and in-house wire grid manufacturing
- Full testing and certification capability including bird strike testing
- Advanced research and development capability
Aircraft deployed on
- Airbus – A300, A320, A330, A340
- Boeing – 737, 747, 757, 767, 777
- Learjet – Learjet 35/45/60
- Hawker Beechcraft – Hawker 800 / Beechcraft King Air
Bullet resistant glass
GKN Aerospace has been at the forefront of specialised civil and military bullet resistant and blast mitigating transparent armour products – created from the leverage of proven processes and technologies developed over 50 years of designing and manufacturing aircraft transparencies.
GKN Aerospace supplies OEM’s and aftermarket ‘up armourers’ with a comprehensive range of solutions to defeat threats from hand gun to high velocity rifles for high optical – flat and curved parts, certified to CEN 1063, UL and NIJ standards.
Key Benefits and Customers
- Anti-fog (HYVIZ coating & tungsten wire filament)
- High optical clarity
- Anti-spall polycarbonate liner
- Abrasion resistant polycarbonate coatings
- Edge seal system
- Retention straps for blast mitigation
- Electro-chromic (dimmable)
- NVG Compatible
- Zero maintenance
- Fully framed and assembly kits
- Toyota LC70 series
- Toyota LC105
- Toyota Hilux
- Mercedes Benz S Class
- Range Rover
- Chevrolet Suburban
- Ford F550
- Chrysler Jeep J8
- Military
- HMMWV
- ASV150
- Warrior
- Caesar
- Vamtac
Canopies
GKN Aerospace has been an industry leader in the design, certification and manufacturing of military canopies for over 60 years. Today we lead the market in development of advanced canopies systems such as F-22 and F-35 Lightning II.
Our technical capability for developing advanced low observable coatings and proprietary lamination processes has allowed GKN Aerospace to maintain a strong position in the market. Our continued investments in research and development are focused on reducing the life cycle costs of existing canopies.
Advantages
- Best in class coating development and testing
- Ability to achieve superior optics on complex shapes
- Proprietary software for predictive optical analysis
- Canopy repair refurbishment and framing services
Aircraft deployed on
- Lockheed Martin - F-35 Lightning II (JSF), F-22 Raptor
- Boeing – F-15 Eagle, F/A-18 Hornet, AV-8B Harrier II
- Eurofighter – Typhoon
- Panavia – Tornado
- Saab – JAS-39 Gripen
Locomotive glass products
For almost 50 years, GKN Aerospace has been firmly established as a leading supplier of high impact resistant windscreens for the locomotive industry.
During this time the development of aerodynamic locomotives, coupled with improvements in track design have led to significant increases in operating speed. GKN Aerospace has created a range of products that provide the clear constant visibility vital to the safe operation of today’s high-speed trains.
Advantages
- Anti-fog and de-ice (HYVIZ coating and wiggle wire)
- High optical clarity double curved windscreens
- Anti-spall polycarbonate
- Abrasion resistant polycarbonate coatings
- Edge seal system
- Electro-chromic (dimmable)
- Zero maintenance
- Complex framed and assembly kits
Platforms
- UK (Class) 142, 143, 150, 158, 175, 180, 253, 313, 323, 455, 458, 465, 507, 60 & 91
- Euroshuttle
- ABB Scandia
- Irish Rail
- Heathrow Express
- MTR – Hong Kong