The Aeronautics Advanced Manufacturing Centre (CFAA in Spanish) was created with the objective of developing advanced manufacturing technologies; these developmental level technologies can be quickly transferred to our industrial companies and are highly oriented towards this key sector of the economy. The centre also acts as an intersection of ideas and advancement for agencies and companies with capabilities, interests, and businesses in the aeronautical engines and structural components sector.

The conception of this centre as a conjunction of the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) and the Business Cluster for the Development of Advanced Aeronautics Manufacturing Techniques, together with the Basque Country Government and Provincial Council of Bizkaia, in collaboration with the Technological and Scientific Park of Bizkaia, enables the Center to focus on the end applications of aeronautics production, without forgetting the generation, and use and fine-tuning of new knowledge in advanced manufacturing techniques.

Therefore, it is not only an initiation of joint interest as a driving force for technology, but also a new model for university-company relationships.

With this idea as the framework of the centre, the mission of the CFAA is listed in the following points:

• To make available a joint R&D&i centre in the field of aeronautics advanced manufacturing technologies as an international reference.
• To carry out activities that enable a quick transfer of results to the production environment associated with the value chain. Its R&D&i activity is located between TRL 5 to 7, according to the NASA scale (pillar 2), regarding the proximity of the final application.
• To attract innovative initiatives within the field of advanced aeronautics manufacturing that can develop and generate a new regional industrial fabric or reinforce the existing one.
• To develop advanced manufacturing projects that integrate and focus the resources of the partners and take advantage of the resources and generated knowledge by the agents of the Basque Science, Technology, and Innovation Network.
• To be a reference centre for equipment suppliers and manufacturers of aeronautical manufacturing with the aim of commencing their participation as partners in advanced manufacturing technology projects and contribution of their equipment and know-how.
• To collaborate with other agents that seek compatible goals within this field.
• To take advantage of the synergy of the university, companies, and institutions, focusing efforts towards the developments of R&D, high level education activities oriented towards technologies of interest for Basque industries, and scientific-technological capacities in the field of advanced manufacturing.