GKN Aerospace Ships First Megawatt-Class EWIS Harnesses for EU-Supported SWITCH Hybrid-Electric Aircraft Project

GKN Aerospace Ships First Megawatt-Class EWIS Harnesses for EU-Supported SWITCH Hybrid-Electric Aircraft Project

(IN BRIEF) GKN Aerospace has delivered the first high-voltage EWIS harnesses for the EU-funded SWITCH hybrid-electric aircraft project. Produced at GKN’s Papendrecht, Netherlands facility, these megawatt-class AC wiring systems will undergo integration testing at Collins Aerospace’s Solihull, UK center before further trials at The Grid lab in Rockford, Illinois, and subsequent propulsion demonstrations with a Pratt & Whitney GTF™ engine at EME Aero in Poland. The SWITCH consortium—comprising MTU Aero Engines, Pratt & Whitney, Collins Aerospace, Airbus, and GKN—focuses on advancing hybrid-electric propulsion for short- and medium-range aircraft. Kristin Smith of Collins Aerospace and John Pritchard of GKN highlighted the milestone’s importance for validating high-power electrical distribution critical to sustainable aviation’s future.

(PRESS RELEASE) BIRMINGHAM, 16-Jun-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — GKN Aerospace has successfully delivered the inaugural high-voltage Electrical Wiring Interconnection System (EWIS) harnesses for the EU-supported SWITCH project, aimed at pioneering hybrid-electric propulsion for short- and medium-range aircraft. Crafted, assembled, and rigorously tested at GKN’s Papendrecht facility in the Netherlands, these megawatt-class AC wire harnesses now head to Collins Aerospace’s Electronic Controls and Motor Systems Center of Excellence in Solihull, UK. A second shipment will follow in July 2025 to “The Grid,” Collins Aerospace’s advanced electric power systems laboratory in Rockford, Illinois, where full system integration testing is slated for later this year. Ultimately, the harnesses will support combined propulsion trials using a Pratt & Whitney GTF™ engine demonstrator at EME Aero in Poland.

The SWITCH consortium—backed by the EU’s Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking—brings together MTU Aero Engines, RTX’s Pratt & Whitney and Collins Aerospace, Airbus, and GKN Aerospace to develop high-efficiency, hybrid-electric propulsion solutions. GKN Aerospace led the design, assembly, and qualification testing of the high-voltage wiring, a critical enabler of safe, efficient power distribution as aviation power demands climb into the multi-megawatt range.

“Delivering GKN’s high-voltage wiring system is a pivotal step toward validating hybrid-electric propulsion for future aircraft,” said Kristin Smith, Vice President of Electric Power Systems at Collins Aerospace. “These harnesses will soon be tested at The Grid, paving the way for integration with our megawatt-class motor-generators and a Pratt & Whitney GTF demonstrator.”

“This milestone underscores the dedication of our Papendrecht team and the strength of our consortium collaboration,” added John Pritchard, President of Civil Airframe at GKN Aerospace. “With decades of EWIS expertise, we’re proud to help build the electrical backbone of tomorrow’s sustainable aviation.”

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SOURCE: GKN Aerospace