Visiongain has published a new report entitled Advanced Materials in Aerospace and Defence Market Report 2026-2036(Including Impact of U.S. Trade Tariffs): Forecasts by Temperature Regime (Standard Temperature Materials, High- & Ultra-High Temperature Materials), by Function (Stealth & Signature Management (Radar/IR), Lightweighting & Structural Performance, Other), by Application  (Airframe & Primary Structures, Aircraft & Spacecraft Interiors, Propulsion Systems & Engine Components, Other), by Platform (Commercial Aircraft, Military Aircraft (Fixed-Wing & Rotorcraft), Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) & Drones, Spacecraft & Launch Vehicles, Other), by Material Type (Polymer Matrix Composites (PMCs), Metal Matrix Composites (MMCs), Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs), Advanced Alloys (Titanium, Superalloys), High-Performance Polymers & Resins, Other) AND Regional and Leading National Market Analysis PLUS Analysis of Leading Companies.

The global advanced materials in aerospace and defence market is estimated at US$45.13 billion in 2026 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 8.1% during the forecast period 2026-2036.

Impact of US Trade Tariffs on the Global Advanced Materials in Aerospace and Defence Market  

U.S. tariffs on strategic materials, components, and intermediate inputs have introduced structural disruptions across the global advanced materials supply chain serving aerospace and defence applications. These measures, aimed at protecting domestic manufacturing and reducing reliance on foreign suppliers, have raised procurement costs for advanced composites, specialty alloys, ceramic matrix composites, and high-performance polymers. Aerospace and defence programmes, which operate on long qualification cycles and tightly integrated global supply networks, are particularly sensitive to such policy shifts. As a result, original equipment manufacturers and tier suppliers are reassessing sourcing strategies, accelerating localisation initiatives, and renegotiating long-term supplier contracts to manage cost inflation and supply risks.

Design for Stealth and Survivability: How Advanced Materials Enable Sixth-Generation Air Power

In defence, advanced materials are increasingly the decisive enabler of stealth, survivability and mission flexibility, particularly as nations field fifth- and sixth-generation platforms. Northrop Grumman’s B-21 Raider stealth bomber, now in low-rate initial production, is explicitly designed around next-generation stealth coatings, low-observable composites and integrated structures that reduce radar cross-section while also simplifying maintenance relative to the older B-2. These materials are not just “paint”; they include radar-absorbing composites, multifunctional structural skins and advanced sealants that must withstand extreme temperatures, mechanical loads and environmental exposure while preserving stealth performance over decades. Wave-absorbing metamaterials and metastructures—engineered surfaces that manipulate electromagnetic waves—are another growth area, enabling load-bearing structures that simultaneously provide multi-band radar and infrared stealth, and recent research demonstrates integrated metamaterials with high mechanical strength and broadband absorption suitable for aerospace applications. As near-peer threats improve radar sensitivity and develop multi-spectral detection, air forces demand platforms whose survivability is literally “baked into” the skin via advanced materials, driving sustained investment by primes like Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems in stealth coatings, low-observable composites, radar-absorbing structures and signature-management materials for aircraft, missiles and UAVs.

How will this Report Benefit you?

Visiongain’s 437-page report provides 126 tables and 206 charts/graphs. Our new study is suitable for anyone requiring commercial, in-depth analyses for the advanced materials in aerospace and defence market, along with detailed segment analysis in the market. Our new study will help you evaluate the overall global and regional market for advanced materials in aerospace and defence. Get financial analysis of the overall market and different segments including temperature regime, function, application, platform, and material type, and capture higher market share. We believe that there are strong opportunities in these fast-growing advanced materials in aerospace and defence market. See how to use the existing and upcoming opportunities in this market to gain revenue benefits in the near future. Moreover, the report will help you to improve your strategic decision-making, allowing you to frame growth strategies, reinforce the analysis of other market players, and maximise the productivity of the company.

What are the Current Market Drivers?

Scale Up Advanced Composites: Global Supply Chains Are Pivoting to High-Volume, Cost-Effective CFRP

Another powerful driver is the industrial scaling of composite manufacturing, which is transforming advanced materials from exotic niche options into high-volume, cost-competitive solutions. The aerospace composites market alone is valued at nearly USD 30 billion in 2024 and forecast to grow at close to 13% CAGR to 2034, with carbon fibre holding the dominant share by value and volume. OEMs are partnering aggressively with suppliers to expand composite capacity: in January 2024, Tata Advanced Systems signed a contract with Boeing to manufacture advanced composite assemblies for the 737 MAX, 777X and 787 Dreamliner from state-of-the-art plants in Bengaluru and Nagpur, deepening India’s role in the global composite supply chain and helping Boeing secure lower-cost, scalable CFRP structures. Airbus likewise continues to invest in composite wings, fuselages and empennages for programmes such as the A220, A320neo and A350 families, with CFRP fuselage and wing structures now central to its product strategy. As production systems mature—using automated fibre placement, out-of-autoclave curing and digital twins—unit costs fall, cycle times shorten and material scrap is reduced, making advanced composites economically viable even in high-rate single-aisle production and smaller defence assets like UAVs and missiles.

Push the Thermal Envelope: Superalloys and Ceramics Power Next-Gen Engines and Hypersonic.

Advanced materials are also critical in pushing the thermal and mechanical limits of propulsion systems, from more efficient turbofans to hypersonic weapons. New nickel-based superalloys and oxide-dispersion-strengthened alloys allow turbine blades and discs to operate at higher temperatures, improving engine efficiency and reducing fuel burn; aerospace primes are actively adopting high-temperature materials like NASA’s GRX-810 superalloy, which offers superior strength, creep resistance and oxidation performance for additively manufactured turbine components. At the cutting edge, ceramic-matrix composites (CMCs) enable hot-section parts that are lighter and can run hundreds of degrees hotter than conventional superalloys, a key enabler for next-generation fighter engines and adaptive-cycle engines. In hypersonic, thermal protection systems rely on ultra-high-temperature ceramics, advanced carbon–carbon composites and ablative materials that can survive sustained exposure to temperatures above 2,000°C while maintaining structural integrity and precise aerodynamic shapes. Defence programmes in the U.S., China and Russia are investing heavily in such materials for hypersonic glide vehicles and cruise missiles, and as these capabilities move from R&D to serial production, the demand for high-performance thermal-structural materials in the aerospace and defence market is set to rise structurally.

Where are the Market Opportunities?

Leverage Defence Budgets and Geopolitical Tensions: Advanced Materials as a Core Beneficiary of Re-Armament Cycles

The surge in defence spending triggered by renewed great-power competition presents a major opportunity for advanced materials suppliers, especially in Europe and key Indo-Pacific countries. Europe’s aerospace and defence turnover grew over 10% in 2024 to about USD 378 billion, with defence up nearly 14%, driven by higher security spending in response to the war in Ukraine and broader NATO rearmament. New fighter programmes, long-range missile systems, air-defence networks and surveillance platforms all demand cutting-edge structural and stealth materials, thermal protection systems and high-temperature alloys. The U.S. B-21 programme alone expects to build at least 100 bombers—with calls from U.S. Strategic Command to increase this to 145—embedding advanced stealth materials, composites and coatings into a high-volume, multi-decade production run. Similar material-intensive programmes include sixth-generation fighter projects (such as the U.S. NGAD and Europe’s FCAS/Tempest) and hypersonic weapons initiatives in the U.S., China and Russia. Suppliers of structural composites, radar-absorbing materials, thermal-structural ceramics and high-temperature alloys thus stand to benefit disproportionately from this defence up-cycle, provided they can meet demanding quality and security-of-supply expectations.

Drive Sustainable Aviation with Lightweight Structures and Recyclable Materials

The aviation sector’s decarbonisation agenda creates a structural opportunity for advanced materials to enable lighter, more efficient airframes and engines while improving recyclability. Research indicates that using lighter airframe materials in combination with sustainable aviation fuels could cut aviation’s total CO₂ emissions by several percent in the near term, even before widely deploying hydrogen or battery-electric aircraft. This is already visible in product strategies: Airbus’s A350 family uses more than 70% advanced materials to deliver lower fuel burn and reduced maintenance, and Boeing’s 777X and 787 families similarly rely on large composite structures to meet airline efficiency demands. As airlines place massive orders for new, fuel-efficient widebodies—such as Emirates’ recent order for 65 additional 777-9 aircraft, bringing its 777X commitments to 270 at the 2025 Dubai Airshow—the embedded demand for advanced structural materials, high-temperature alloys and next-generation coatings is locked in for decades. In parallel, regulation and brand pressure are pushing OEMs and suppliers to develop recyclable composites, bio-based resins and circular material flows for metals and polymers, opening new business lines in material recovery and “design for disassembly”

Competitive Landscape

The major players operating in the advanced materials in aerospace and defence market are Arkema S.A., ATI inc., Bodycote, CoorsTek, Inc., GKN Aerospace Materials, Kyocera Corporation, Materion Advanced Materials, Mitsubishi Chemical Group, Park Aerospace Corp., Safran Ceramics, Saint-Gobain Aerospace, SGL Carbon SE, Solvay S.A., Toho Tenax, Toray Industries, Inc. These major players operating in this market have adopted various strategies comprising M&A, collaborations, investment in R&D, regional business expansion, partnerships, and new product launch.

Recent Developments

• 22-Dec-25, Safran Electronics & Defence signed a major contract with the NATO Helicopter Management Agency to develop the Eurofl’Eye distributed panoramic vision system for NH90 helicopters, enhancing pilot situational awareness in degraded environments.
• 15-Dec-25, Mitsubishi Chemical announced plans to strengthen carbon fibre manufacturing capacity in Japan and the United States to support high-end applications. The expansion targets growing demand from aerospace, hypercar, sports, and leisure sectors requiring lightweight materials with high strength and elastic modulus.
• 10-Dec-25, Diamond Edge Ventures, the corporate venture arm of Mitsubishi Chemical Group, made a follow-on investment in Boston Materials. The partnership supports co-development and commercialisation of advanced thermal interface materials for artificial intelligence servers and next-generation semiconductor devices.
• 08-Dec-25, GKN Aerospace announced investment in advanced additive manufacturing capabilities at its engines centre of excellence in Kongsberg. The initiative is co-funded with Norwegian Catapult Manufacturing Technology and supports sustainable industrial innovation and accelerated adoption of additive technologies.
• 24-Nov-25, Arkema achieved ISCC PLUS certification for specialty polyester resin production at its Gissi site in Italy, supporting mass-balance and sustainable material solutions for advanced resins used in high-performance applications.
• 18-Nov-25, SGL Carbon and Linköping University inaugurated an advanced laboratory for next-generation graphite coatings. The collaboration strengthens R&D capabilities for high-performance carbon materials used in energy, electronics, and advanced composite systems.
• 18-Nov-25, Emirates and Safran Seats signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish an aircraft seat manufacturing and assembly facility in Dubai, strengthening regional aerospace manufacturing capabilities.
• 31-Oct-25, Materion signed a supply agreement with Commonwealth Fusion Systems to provide beryllium fluoride for FLiBE molten salt used in ARC fusion power plants, supporting the development of a resilient United States supply chain for critical advanced materials.

About Visiongain

Established in 1998, Visiongain is an independent publisher of analyst-led market intelligence, delivering data-driven research, forecasts, and strategic insight across global industries and emerging markets. Visiongain supports evidence-based decision-making for investment, procurement, and long-term strategic planning.

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