Every industry around the world has been impacted by the events of the past two years. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced nearly every business and industry to pivot their operations in one way or another. The Russian-Ukraine conflict and inflation have greatly impacted businesses and supply chains, causing even more upheaval in the aerospace and defense sectors.
These recent stresses have greatly impacted the aerospace and defense industries, as well. Businesses in these sectors have had to make major changes to keep up with the times in order to survive. However, amidst all of these issues, trends are starting to appear.
Trends to Look for in 2022
The aerospace and defense industries are continuing to weather the storms of COVID-19, the Russian-Ukraine conflict, and many other problems worldwide. Trends are starting to emerge that may shed light on how these businesses will operate going forward and how companies can best set themselves up for success.
Here are a few major trends to look out for in 2022:
- Continued demand for military aircraft: As the Russian-Ukraine conflict carries on, the potential for more conflicts and wars may rise. Countries around the world are carefully observing small conflicts as they could potentially grow into full-scale wars.
The defense industry will be called upon to build new aircraft and update old models to help assist in these conflicts. US spending on military projects has stayed fairly untouched during the pandemic and will likely stay at current levels or rise in the coming years. This means more production of aircraft and defense planes and parts.
- Growing interest in space travel and satellite development: Despite financial woes worldwide, more of the world’s elite have shown an interest in space travel, going as far as to charter private aircraft to the edge of the atmosphere. The long-term goal for many is to create a commuter system that allows the masses to travel into space within our lifetime.
These developments will lead to the mass production of small commuter spacecraft for everyone from business executives to middle-class vacationers. The aerospace industry will be called upon to develop and produce these aircraft with high-grade materials through efficient processes.
- Stronger calls for environmental protection: As major storms have raged parts of the world while other areas suffer from historic droughts, many have called upon major corporations to do what they can to create sustainable solutions in their businesses. This includes the aerospace and defense industries.
The successful companies of the future will innovate ways to create their products with “green” materials and practices that protect the planet from further damage or even help repair it. This will require innovation on the part of manufacturers to create parts sustainably.
- More focus on US-based production: The COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian-Ukraine war have shown the world how at-risk the global supply chain is to major events. Countless businesses have had to cease operations as they struggled to find materials to manufacture their parts.
The companies that have weathered the storm the best are the ones that relied on US-based materials and production from the start. With limited restrictions stateside, these companies were easily able to keep their supply chain moving throughout these unprecedented times. Successful companies in the future will turn to local manufacturers for their materials and production needs.
These are just a few trends that are beginning to emerge in the aerospace and defense industries throughout the United States. As the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian-Ukraine war carry on and eventually reach their end, a clearer picture will arise, showing what these two industries will look like for many years going forward.
Mueller is Here to Lead the Way
At Mueller, we pride ourselves on helping the aerospace and defense industries to thrive in the hardest of times. Our US-based production facilities are stocked with materials and our machinery is ready to handle a wide range of work.
We can produce RFI shieldings, EMI shieldings, vapor barriers, functional coatings, and many more products. Our team is well-equipped to help the aerospace and defense industry get back on track after these unprecedented past few years.
Contact Mueller today to learn more about how we can help your company manufacture the parts you need to serve your clients.
