GKN Aerospace
Leading global tier one aerospace supplier with a mission to be the most trusted and sustainable partner in the sky
8733 employees · est. 1759 · Birmingham, United Kingdom
Reaction Engines
Pioneering disruptive technologies to elevate life on Earth
36 employees · est. 1989 · Abingdon, United Kingdom
GKN Aerospace is the older company (1759 vs 1989); GKN Aerospace is the larger of the two.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Metric | GKN Aerospace | Reaction Engines |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | ||
| Founded | 1759 older | 1989 |
| Headquarters | ||
| Headquarters | Birmingham, United Kingdom | Abingdon, United Kingdom |
| Employees | ||
| Employees | 8733 larger | 36 |
| Industry | ||
| Industry | Transportation | Not tracked yet |
| Funding Stage | ||
| Funding Stage | Acquired | Unknown |
| Total Funding | ||
| Total Funding | $18.77M | $307.80M |
| Funding Rounds | ||
| Funding Rounds | 3 | 13 |
| Services | ||
| Services | Design and Manufacturing of Aerospace Systems, Engine Components and Systems, Aerostructures and Airframes, Electrical Wiring Interconnection Systems, Repair and Maintenance Services, Innovation and Research in Aerospace Technologies, Future Technology Development | Not tracked yet |
| Target Customers | ||
| Target Customers | Aircraft Manufacturers, Engine Manufacturers, Commercial Aviation Industry, Military Aviation Industry, Space Industry, Airlines | Not tracked yet |
| Taxonomy | ||
| Taxonomy | Aerospace Supplier, Advanced Aerospace Systems, Commercial Aircraft Components, Defense Aircraft Components, Lightweight Composites, Additive Manufacturing, Net-zero Emissions, Hydrogen Propulsion, All-electric Flight, Aerostructures, Engine Systems, Electrical Wiring Interconnection Systems, Zero-emission Technologies, Sustainable Aviation, Aircraft Manufacturing Collaboration | Air-Breathing Rocket Engine, SABRE Technology, Hypersonic Propulsion, Thermal Management Solutions, Zero Carbon Aviation, Battery Electric Flight, Fuel Cell-Powered Aircraft, Hydrogen-Fuelled Jet Engines, Spaceplanes, Advanced Heat Exchangers, Aerospace Propulsion Systems, Vacuum Brazing, Electroforming, Diffusion Bonding, Sustainable Aviation |
| Website | ||
| Website | gknaerospace.com | reactionengines.co.uk |
About GKN Aerospace
GKN Aerospace, founded in 1759, is a United Kingdom-based company noted as the world's leading multi-technology tier 1 aerospace supplier. Their slogan, "Leading global tier one aerospace supplier with a mission to be the most trusted and sustainable partner in the sky," underscores their commitment...
About Reaction Engines
Reaction Engines, founded in 1989, is a privately owned British aerospace company headquartered in the United Kingdom. The company is recognized for its pioneering work in air-breathing rocket engine technology, particularly the SABRE engine. The firm leverages its expertise in propulsion systems to...
We will tell you when either one moves
BounceWatch watches GKN Aerospace and Reaction Engines for new funding, fast hiring, new executives and a change of software vendor. When one happens, we email you the same day.
Funding, hiring, leadership and stack changes at GKN Aerospace and Reaction Engines — by email.
Frequently Asked Questions
Compare GKN Aerospace with someone else
Start typing a company name or domain.
Related Comparisons
Compiled from the BounceWatch company index. We last looked at GKN Aerospace on 3 Aug 2026, and Reaction Engines on 8 Jan 2026. Where a field is blank here, it means we have not recorded it — not that the answer is zero. How we source and date this.