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About NWTF

What is the National Wind Tunnel Facility?

The National Wind Tunnel Facility (NWTF) is a coordinated network of strategically important wind tunnel facilities located across leading UK universities. Established through a £13.3 million investment from EPSRC and the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) in 2014, the NWTF was created to ensure the UK remains at the forefront of aerodynamic and fluid mechanics research. In return for this investment, the facilities are accessible to researchers from both academia and industry across the UK.

Originally focused on aerospace applications, the NWTF expanded in 2019 to include six additional facilities supporting the automotive, wind engineering and environmental sectors, broadening its impact across multiple industries.

The NWTF continues to grow through major research infrastructure investments. In April 2023, the network was awarded an EPSRC Network Grant, followed by a £23 million UKRI Infrastructure Grant in July 2024. Together, these investments are enabling the NWTF to:

  • Upgrade and develop world-leading facilities, instrumentation and experimental capabilities.
  • Create a national Experimental Database to provide open access to research outputs and strengthen links with the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) community.
  • Foster a connected and inclusive UK wind tunnel community through networking events, forums and collaborative activities.
  • Deliver training workshops and knowledge-sharing opportunities for researchers and facility users.
  • Expand engagement with industry and academics across the wider UK research landscape.
  • Increase researcher mobility and encourage collaboration between institutions and disciplines.
  • Promote the UK’s wind tunnel capabilities, ensuring greater awareness and utilisation of this unique national research asset.

Today, the NWTF brings together 23+ wind tunnels across 12 universities, providing world-class experimental facilities that support research, innovation and skills development across aerospace, automotive, built environment, environmental and emerging technology sectors.