A STATE-of-the-art £3 million assembly building featuring virtual reality engineering tools has been unveiled at British Aerospace's Samlesbury site.

The purpose built facility is set to become a flagship for the future role of engineering within BAe and will be used by more than 300 engineers.

Work on the next generation agile combat military aircraft, the Eurofighter, will be carried out in the building focusing mainly on the front fuselage constituent parts such as environmental control systems, radar and avionic bays.

Phill Blundell, BAe Samlesbury site director, said: "This is the first purpose built facility which supports the integrated product designed concept within British Aerospace and is the result of more than 18 months of intense planning, focusing on leading edge engineering practises.

"The facility is located next to one of Samlesbury's major assembly facilities and will be equipped with the latest virtual reality engineering tools."

He added: "Ultimately this new facility will become a flagship for the future role of engineering within BAe, based on designing and delivering cost effective, complex engineered systems."

Doctor Mary Harris, director general of the Year of Engineering Success (YES), officially opened the building.

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