Aerospace and Defense Materials - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts (2026 - 2031)

According to Mordor Intelligence, aerospace and Defense Materials market size in 2026 is estimated at USD 29.21 billion, growing from 2025 value of USD 28.17 billion with 2031 projections showing USD 35.03 billion, growing at 3.70% CAGR over 2026-2031.

This report is Segmented by Material Type (Aluminum Alloys, Steel Alloys, Titanium Alloys, Super Alloys, Composite Materials, and Other Material Types), Aircraft Type (Commercial, Military, Business and General Aviation, and More), and Geography (Asia-Pacific, North America, Europe, South America, and Middle East and Africa). The Market Forecasts are Provided in Terms of Value (USD).

Global Aerospace and Defense Materials Market Trends and Insights

Surging Production Backlog for Single-Aisle Commercial Aircraft

Order books stand at nearly 15,700 jets, with Airbus alone holding about 8,700 A320neo-family commitments. Long wait times push airframers to secure multi-year supply contracts covering aluminum-lithium plate and advanced carbon fiber laminates, supporting growth in the aerospace and defense materials market and moving procurement away from just-in-time models toward strategic stockpiles. Each single-aisle frame now integrates greater volumes of high-strength 7000-series aluminum extrusions and resin-infused wing skins that reduce up to 10% structural weight together. Production interruptions, such as Boeing's trim to 26 units per month on the 737 line amid supplier capacity gaps, underline how raw-material availability regulates final-assembly cadence.

Rising Defense Budgets for Next-Generation Fighter and Transport Programs

Global defense outlays surpassed USD 2.4 Trillion in 2024, propelling procurement of sixth-generation fighters and stealth transports that rely on ceramic matrix composites, radar-absorbing titanium aluminides, and refractory alloys capable of withstanding skin temperatures above 1,000°C. The Pentagon allocates USD 6.9 Billion in 2025 to hypersonic materials science and prototype missiles, while Spain's EUR 2 Billion order for 25 additional Eurofighters highlights Europe's parallel commitment to material-intensive platforms . China's breakthrough in superalloy disc processing, achieving cooling rates 3.75 times faster than legacy methods, underscores the unfolding global race for metallurgical leadership.

Volatile Prices of Critical Metals

World Bank data show a 9% rise in the metals and minerals price index through April 2024, and the Producer Price Index for titanium reached 190.106 in May 2024 . Tariffs of 25% on incoming steel and aluminum pushed imported steel prices up 22.7%, prompting original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to diversify suppliers and negotiate hedging clauses. Russia's exit from the titanium sponge market redirected buyers to Kazakhstan and Saudi Arabia, tightening spot availability. The counterfeit titanium incident that hit Boeing and Airbus operations illustrated how cost inflation can erode compliance controls and allow fraudulent alloys into critical parts.

Other drivers and restraints analyzed in the detailed report include:

1. Weight-Reduction Mandates Accelerating Composite Adoption
2. Hypersonic R&D Ramping Demand for Refractory Alloys and Superalloys
3. Lengthy Qualification Cycles and Capital Intensity of New Materials

For complete list of drivers and restraints, kindly check the Table Of Contents.

Segment Analysis

Aluminum alloys retained 34.62% of 2025 revenue, driven by well-proven performance, wide supplier bases, and lower kilogram cost than exotic metals. Constellium's multi-year contract to ship plate from Ravenswood and its Airware aluminum-lithium range shows how incumbents refresh portfolios with higher modulus and corrosion resistance. Steel alloys remain indispensable for landing gear, with Carpenter Technology's modified 4340 and AerMet 100 scoring high fracture-toughness values for arrestor-hook assemblies. Titanium alloys occupy the hot-section, exhaust, and critical fastener niche, though price swings force primes to trial titanium-metal-matrix composites as lower-density substitutes.

Composite materials headline the growth story at a forecast 4.58% CAGR through 2031. Ceramic matrix composites at 2,800°C enable hotter turbine cores without heavy metallic cooling parts, directly meeting ICAO fuel-burn rules. Carbon-fiber reinforced polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and PEKK thermoplastics cut assembly time because they can be welded instead of riveted, a benefit accentuated in high-rate single-aisle lines. Superalloys form the fastest-rising traditional metal subset as hypersonic research and development (R&D) pulls in nickel-cobalt-rhenium systems offering high strength above 1,150°C. Researchers are also scaling high-entropy alloys such as POSTECH's Hyperadaptor, which demonstrates a stable gamma-prime structure across a 796°C temperature swing. Other material types, ranging from radiation-hardened polymers to graphene-enhanced paints, are expanding on the back of a commercial space market that could hit USD 1 Trillion inside ten years.

Complete Report Scope:

• Material Type
  • Aluminum Alloys
  • Steel Alloys
  • Titanium Alloys
  • Super Alloys
  • Composite Materials
  • Other Material Types
• Aircraft Type
  • Commercial
  • Military
  • Business and General Aviation
  • Other Aircraft Types
• Geography
  • Asia-Pacific
    • China
    • Japan
    • India
    • South Korea
    • ASEAN Countries
    • Rest of Asia-Pacific
  • North America
    • United States
    • Canada
    • Mexico
  • Europe
    • Germany
    • United Kingdom
    • France
    • Italy
    • Spain
    • Russia
    • NORDIC Countries
    • Rest of Europe
  • South America
    • Brazil
    • Argentina
    • Rest of South America
  • Middle East and Africa
    • Saudi Arabia
    • South Africa
    • Rest of Middle East and Africa

Geography Analysis

North America controlled 35.84% of 2025 revenue due to the United States' defense budget, expansive civil fleet, and vertically integrated metals ecosystem. Alcoa's USD 548 Million Q1-2025 net income and its USD 2.2 Billion Alumina Limited acquisition highlight upstream consolidation that secures bauxite and alumina supply. Canada and Mexico add cost-efficient machining, with Mexico nurturing more than 300 qualified suppliers and vocational programs that alleviate the region's aging-workforce gap. Challenges stem from counterfeit titanium exposure and tight forging capacity, yet sustained hypersonic funding at USD 6.9 Billion keeps research sites busy.

Asia-Pacific is the fastest-growing region with a 4.34% CAGR through 2031, supported by China's C919 narrow-body entry and investments in superalloy processing lines that triple cooling rates during turbine-disc quench stages. Japan boosted aerospace-grade titanium sponge output to 55,000 tons in 2024, supplementing 19,000 tons from Kazakhstan and 15,000 tons from Saudi Arabia. India, South Korea, and emerging ASEAN hubs draw component work as primes diversify away from concentrated sources. Regional airlines expanding narrow-body fleets for domestic routes generate sticky demand for plate, extrusion, and interior panels.

Europe retains a balanced profile thanks to Airbus's civil backlog and rising collective defense budgets. Delivery of 766 aircraft in 2024 coupled with EUR 16.7 Billion Defense and Space division orders indicates durable materials pull. The European Defence Fund granted over EUR 1 Billion to 54 technology programs, including hypersonic vehicle research that consumes ultra-high-temperature ceramics. Regulatory leadership through ReFuelEU Aviation stimulates rapid composite adoption as carriers seek lower lifecycle emissions. Casting and forging capacity tightens as program mix shifts toward high-temperature metals, motivating joint ventures to open new hot-isostatic-press assets in France and Germany.

1. Aditya Birla Management Corporation Pvt. Ltd. (Novelis Inc.)
2. Alcoa Corporation
3. Arconic
4. Carpenter Co.
5. Constellium
6. DuPont
7. GKN Aerospace
8. Hexcel Corporation
9. Howmet Aerospace
10. Huntsman International LLC.
11. Materion Corporation
12. Mitsubishi Chemical Group
13. SGL Carbon
14. Solvay
15. Teijin Limited
16. thyssenkrupp Aerospace
17. Toray Industries Inc.
18. Victrex plc

Additional Benefits:

• The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format
• 3 months of analyst support