Global Collapsible Aircraft Wings Market - 2023-2030

Overview

Global Collapsible Aircraft Wings Market reached US$ 2.5 billion in 2022 and is expected to reach US$ 4.7 billion by 2030, growing with a CAGR of 8.2% during the forecast period 2023-2030.

The ongoing development of the next generation of carrier-based naval fighter jets is likely to provide impetus for the growth of the global market. India is currently developing the twin-engine deck-based fighter (TEDBF), whereas China is currently testing a naval variant of its J-31 fifth generation fighter jet.

The increasing deployment of smaller drones for combat and anti-insurgency operations by African armies is expected to further increase demand for collapsible aircraft wings. Drones have become instrumental for fighting jihadist insurgencies and separatist's militia in Sahel and eastern Africa. The region is expected to generate major aftermarket demand for collapsible aircraft wings during the forecast period.

Dynamics

Rise of Drone Warfare

Large-scale drone warfare has become a signature of recent conflicts, including the Russia-Ukraine war, Israel-Hamas war and many other low-intensity conflicts. In all these conflicts, both the warring sides have resorted to using a slew of different UAVs for targeting infantry, armored vehicles and artillery installations.

Drones are also being used for battlefield surveillance and reconnaissance. The extensive scale of drone warfare has even led to the obsolescence of some longstanding battlefields tactics. The experience gained on the battlefield has been instrumental for both Russia and Ukraine as they develop new types of drones for the war effort.

Manufacturers are particularly focused on developing drones with compact form factor and collapsible wings, thus enabling their easy transportation in backpacks. Some manufacturers are also researching the development of autonomous drone swarms to overwhelm enemy defenses before infantry advancement. As drone become ever-more innovative the demand for collapsible wings is likely to increase during the forecast period.

Increasing Global Military Expenditure

Global military spending is surging, according to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). The data indicates that global defence spending has grown by over 19% in the decade from 2013-2022. Furthermore, global defence spending grew by 3.7% in real terms in 2023 over the previous year, to reach US$ 2,240 billion. The Russia-Ukraine war has led to a surge in military spending, especially among European nations.

A significant portion of the defense spending is capital expenditure on new weapon systems. To gain an edge over adversaries, militaries have increased the induction of combat drones and world powers such as China, India and U.S. are strengthening their naval aviation capabilities by expanding their fleet of carrier-based aircraft. The increase in defence spending will lead to further augmentation in demand for collapsible aircraft wings from various weapons manufacturers.

Long Development Times for Aircraft

New aircraft development is a tedious and complex process, taking an average of a decade to go from conception to production roll out. Furthermore, it requires billions of US$ worth of capital expenditure in design, development and testing costs. The high costs and long project timelines present a key impediment to global market growth.

Many a times, due to technical and other reasons, the projects get delayed, further lengthening the timelines. For military aircrafts there is always the risk of project cancellation due to budget cuts or cost overruns. The development and long term demand for collapsible wings hinges on the roll out of new aircraft. Long lead times for aircraft development create uncertainty in component suppliers and might create restrictions for overall market growth.

Segment Analysis

The global collapsible aircraft wings market is segmented based on type, material, application, end-user and region.

OEMs are expected to garner the highest market share during the forecast period

Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are expected to garner the largest market share due the ongoing developments in UAVs and naval fighter jets. Aircrafts operating from the deck of aircraft carriers are required to have collapsible wings in order to fit into elevators and storage spaces. With countries such as China and India stepping up the development of their indigenous naval fighter aircraft, it will create renewed OEM demand for collapsible aircraft wings.

The rising usage of drones in everyday civilian life will also contribute massively to the growth in demand from OEMs. Manufacturers are rolling out specialized drones for aerial photography, land surveying and even cargo transportation. As specialized application drones proliferate, the corresponding demand for collapsible wings is likely to increase over the coming years.

Geographical Penetration

New Innovations to Propel Market Growth in North America

North America is expected to have the highest share within the global market mainly due to the various new aircrafts of U.S. manufacturers. For instance, Boeing is currently developing the 777x a widebody commercial passenger aircraft with collapsible wings. Although the roll out was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the company expects to commence customer deliveries by early 2025.

Collapsible wings aircraft are also finding increasing applications in the military domain. For example, Lockheed Martin Corporation, a major weapons and aerospace contractor, has developed the F-35C, a naval version of its F-35 Lightning II with foldable wings designed for use on aircraft carriers. The U.S. Navy has ordered nearly 350 F-35C and deliveries are expected to continue till 2035.

The ongoing development of future platforms will also continue to generate stable, long-term demand for collapsible aircraft wings. For example, in November 2023, PteroDynamics, a U.S. manufacturer of VTOL aircraft, successfully completed a demonstration flight of the Transwing X-P4 autonomous naval drone for U.S. Navy.

COVID-19 Impact Analysis:

The COVID-19 pandemic created many unexpected challenges for the global aeronautical industry. The pandemic led to a virtual halt to international air travel led to drying up of new aircraft orders. Therefore, major manufacturers such as Boeing were forced to push back the roll out of new aircraft models. Subcontractors and aerospace component manufacturers were also affected since it led to a downturn in demand for collapsible wing components.

The military applications for collapsible wings witnessed relatively less disruptions as funding and R&D work across all major countries continued unabated during the pandemic due to national security reasons. The post-pandemic period ushered in Russia's invasion of Ukraine, leading to a major increase in defense spending of global military powers. A surge in defense spending is likely to augur well for the future growth of the global collapsible aircraft wings market.

Russia-Ukraine War Impact Analysis

The Russia-Ukraine war will exert major influence on the future development of the global collapsible aircraft wings market. The hallmark of the ongoing war has been new innovation in drone warfare, with small commercial drones with collapsible wings being retrofitted to carry out explosive munitions attack on enemy positions. Ad-hoc innovations on the battlefield will influence military applications for collapsible aircraft wings over the coming years.

Russia has shifted its entire economy to a war production and is churning out new types of attack drones based on battlefield experience. Despite the harsh economic sanctions imposed on Russia for the war, it is utilizing grey market imports to source important imports. The Russian defense industry demand for collapsible wings is predicted to rise severalfold over the short and medium term.

By Type

• Single Wing
• Multi Wing
• Rotor Wing

By Material

• Metal
• Composite
• Hybrid

By Application

• Fixed Wing Aircraft
• Rotary Aircraft
• UAVs
• Others

By End-User

• OEMs
• MRO

By Region

• North America
  • U.S.
  • Canada
  • Mexico
• Europe
  • Germany
  • UK
  • France
  • Italy
  • Spain
  • Rest of Europe
• South America
  • Brazil
  • Argentina
  • Rest of South America
• Asia-Pacific
  • China
  • India
  • Japan
  • Australia
  • Rest of Asia-Pacific
• Middle East and Africa

Key Developments

• In July 2023, the European aircraft manufacturer Airbus, announced that it is developing a new narrow body passenger airliner with collapsible wing tips.
• In March 2023, Ptero dynamics, a U.S.-based aerospace startup specializing in the development of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft, raised US$ 7.5 million in venture capital funding for expansion of new R&D activities.
• In July 2023, China began testing its new J-31 stealth fighter with collapsible wings for its Fujian aircraft carrier.

Competitive Landscape

The major global players in the market include: DJI, Baykar Tech, Airbus, Embraer, Boeing, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Dassault Aviation, Russian Helicopters, Bell Textron Inc. and Northrop Grumman.

Why Purchase the Report?

• To visualize the global collapsible aircraft wings market segmentation based on type, material, application, end-user and region, as well as understand key commercial assets and players.
• Identify commercial opportunities by analyzing trends and co-development.
• Excel data sheet with numerous data points of pouch tapes market-level with all segments.
• PDF report consists of a comprehensive analysis after exhaustive qualitative interviews and an in-depth study.
• Product mapping available as excel consisting of key products of all the major players.

The global collapsible aircraft wings market report would provide approximately 60 tables, 58 figures and 195 Pages.

Target Audience 2023

• Aircraft Manufacturers
• Aircraft Maintenance Companies
• Industry Investors/Investment Bankers
• Research Professionals