Gulfstream expands G400 business jet manufacturing facilities
A $150.7 million investment ensures streamlined, efficient operations for next-gen composite fleet production, meets increasing demand.
Gulfstream G400 next-generation manufacturing facility. Photo Credit: Gulfstream Aerospace Corp.
On Oct. 17, Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. (Savannah, Ga., U.S.) announced plans to continue expanding its Savannah aircraft and wing manufacturing facilities to meet customer demand for the Gulfstream G400. The G400 use extensively incorporates composites (see “Gulfstream unveils G800 and G400 business jets” for additional details), aided by its supplier, GKN Aerospace (Redditch, U.K.), named by Gulfstream in January 2022.
The 262,000 square-foot/24,340 square-meter expansions add dedicated G400 production and wing lines as well as additional material delivery and distribution areas. The expansion also augments ongoing growth at Gulfstream’s wing production facility adjacent to the G400, G500 and G600 manufacturing building.
“This planned expansion is part of our long-term strategic plan and investment strategy we envisioned to accommodate our next-generation family of aircraft,” Mark Burns, president of Gulfstream, says. “We intentionally designed these aircraft and facilities with a range of commonalities to increase operational efficiency and flexibility. This strategy, combined with the investments we’ve made in advanced precision manufacturing, allow Gulfstream to achieve industry-leading quality and consistency.”
In addition to G400, G500 and G600 manufacturing, Gulfstream’s Savannah headquarters houses production of the flagship Gulfstream G700, the new Gulfstream G800 and the Gulfstream G650ER, along with wings and empennages for those aircraft (G700 and G800 composite nacelles are developed at Safran Nacelles Morocco (Spain) aircraft nacelles production site). Interior completions are also performed in Savannah, as well as at Gulfstream’s facilities in St. Louis, Dallas and Appleton, Wis., U.S.
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