Latest trends in Aerospace Defense industry.
The newest flying machines are only the most visible part of what goes on in the air. How the system on a vehicle control that; how a vehicle talks to ground control; how a vehicle talks to other vehicles; how vehicles collect data and what do they do with data — this is the silent face of aerospace engineering. It is not tactile, it is not photogenic, and it is largely unsung. But it is where the latest advances are taking place.
I did my internship in an aerospace industry which was responsible in manufacturing detailed parts of S-92 helicopter as well as there cabin also. Tata Advanced Limited (TASL) entered into a joint venture with Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation to manufacture Sikorsky S-92 helicopters in India for the domestic civil and military merkets. As then production began, the first S-92 cabin was delivered in November 2010.
The Aerospace & Defense (A&D) industry is comprised of manufacturers from civil and military aerospace and defense procurement. The defense procurement segment comprises revenues earned from defense electronics and military aerospace; whereas the civil aerospace segment includes revenues earned from civilian planes (but excludes military aircraft and related items). Globally, the A&D industry recorded total revenues of US$771 billion in 2010 and registered year-on-year growth of 4.8% from US$744 billion in 2009. Defense occupied the largest share of the spending pie with 71.8% at US$660.8 billion in 2009. Globally the A&D industry has been forecasted to record an accelerated Industry Overview growth with an anticipated CAGR of 5.3% for the period 2009 to 2014, reaching a market value of US$1,190.5 billion. This growth rate is expected to be driven by the Commercial segment due to a more positive economic outlook, rising income levels and the booming Commercial Aviation segment. However, the demand outlook from Defense will be under pressure as many defense programs are experiencing budget cuts.
When it comes to talk about latest trend in this particular industry which growing at a large pace globally. I would like start it with technology advancement.
Future Trends
The A&D industry has always been known for its innovation capability in achieving extraordinary technical advances and also in allowing individual companies to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving landscape. A few of the innovations, like the Global Positioning System (GPS), Boeing’s Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM), the Airbus A380 and SpaceX’s Falcon 1, have altered the entire industry in terms of its functioning. Several developing trends have similar potential.
Increasing Usage of Composites
The composite class of materials has the capability to play an important role in the Aerospace industry today and in the future. The key reasons for composite materials’ attractiveness to aviation and aerospace applications are their exceptional durability and high stiffness-to-density ratios. Composite material generally consists of relatively strong, stiff fibers in a tough resin matrix. Other composite materials that are often used in aerospace include carbon- and glass fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP and GFRP, respectively). Usage of composite materials is lucrative in aircraft because composites help in reducing the overall weight of the air frame enabling better fuel efficiency. Composites are estimated to enable a 20% saving in terms of weight along with lower production time and improved damage tolerance. Usage of composites in aircraft has gradually increased over the years. The A380 has used 20% to 22% composites by weight along with extensive usage of GLARE (glass fiber-reinforced aluminum alloy). As conventional metallic materials and their derivatives continue to evolve to increase performance, there is little doubt that the significant benefits of using composites are yet to be fully exploited. As this understanding develops, composite materials will play an increasingly significant role in aircraft manufacturing.
Optimized Usage of Turboprops and Jets
Aircraft and engine design play a crucial role in determining the airline fleet size for optimizing the networks as well as reducing the fuel bills. Once again airlines have started embracing turboprops as a cost-effective way of serving short haul markets. Turboprops not only lower fuel burn but often play a tangible role in decreasing emissions. As environmental considerations drive airline and passenger choices, the advantages of turboprops are substantial. The propeller has been used since the earliest days of powered flight; the concept has been refined over the years with significant improvements in turbine efficiency and propeller technology. In the future airlines will make an ongoing effort to maintain the right balance between turboprops and jet numbers to increase their profitability.
Alternate Fuels
The Aerospace industry is exploring the possibilities of alternative fuels to decrease exposure to oil price variations and reduce dependency on crude oil. The fuel crisis in 2008 illustrated the industry’s sensitivity to rapidly rising fuel prices. Biofuels are primarily developed from feed stock of one of two key sources, namely, plants with high sugar content (e.g., corn and sugar cane) and plants that are rich in bio-derived oils (e.g., soybeans, algae). Bio fuels produced from plants high in sugar content, including ethanol, are generally referred to as first-generation bio fuels and are ill-suited for high end applications like aviation. On the other hand, second-generation bio fuels made up of bio-derived oil can be chemically processed to make high-quality jet fuel and diesel. Airline companies like Lufthansa, Ryan air and easyJet have already signed a deal with Solena, an American producer of aviation bio fuels, marking a step towards an increase in this trend. In January 2010, Qantas also started working with Solena to build a commercial scale aviation bio fuel plant. Solena is also setting up a similar plant in London, which is scheduled to produce biofuel from 2014. One reason for the sudden popularity of biofuels is the latest technological advancement of deriving biofuels from waste; this has sidelined some of the problems that have hampered production of crop-based varieties of biofuels. Tests have already been conducted successfully by airlines, including Qatar Airways, Continental, United, Air New Zealand, Japan Airlines and Lufthansa. However, it is expected to take years and more investment in R&D before bio fuels can replace the traditional kerosene-based jet fuel mix for extensive usage in civil aviation. According to IATA an investment of US$10–15 billion will be required.
Globalization
Globalization is a growing factor in the A&D industry. With an established international customer base, the sector is well positioned to overcome inherent globalization challenges and derive benefits from the booming commercial markets of Asia Pacific and defense markets in the Middle East and Asia. Additionally, A&D supply chain markets are opening up in India, Brazil, Mexico and Turkey, as well as China for commercial aerospace. For many A&D companies, their customer base, production, and research and development are already globalized and now their MROs are increasingly becoming global in nature. Besides the U.S. some other countries that are attractive for MRO-related investments are Singapore, China, UAE and Brazil. These investments are changing the overall landscape of the aerospace maintenance infrastructure and will continue to change the dynamics in the near future.
System Software on the Rise
The code at the heart of any aircraft isn’t something that can be slapped together by the latest Silicon Valley wiz kid. Unlike the programming that makes our apps and video games, airborne software is system dependent. Whoever’s writing the code has got to know every aspect of the hardware. And the software must be bug free. “Otherwise everyone will be in serious trouble,” says Yang. Software is handling ever-greater percentages of the jobs done on an aircraft. And, more and more, these systems are developed and put in place by companies such as Ultra-Electronics, Rockwell Collins, and Ramco Aviation. Increased communication with ground control will soon allow for more efficient landings. Currently planes approaching an airport do so in a stair-step process. This allows the control tower to maintain safety at each stage. But when the exact position of each plane is known, the approach can be continuous. The smoothness of the descent will mean every flight will be shorter by two or so minutes and save about 100 gallons of gas. That time may be minuscule for the passenger, perhaps, but worldwide, the savings are enormous.
Aerospace Engineering Education
Who’s going to put together these systems? The kids, of course. Perhaps the biggest trend in aerospace is the growing interest among students. There are now 65 programs in the U.S., and 25 are stand alone programs. Of the 38,000 new aerospace engineering jobs that opened up last year, 4,000 of them were taken by students. Aerospace is the third most popular field for engineering students. A large percentage of them go into programming, “because they know their software will be implemented on real hardware,” says Yang. “The aerospace profession has expanded form hardware-based science, technology, and engineering, to systems, and even systems of systems-based engineering. At a very high level that trend has become even more important,” he adds.
Measures to take in future
Take advantage of new and innovative technologies: In a context where newcomers from developing countries will aggressively launch their products to the market, innovation and new technologies can help traditional players stay ahead of these new competitors.
Reduce development cycles for new programs: With strong pressure to reduce development cycles and the increasing importance of Tier 1 suppliers in product design, OEMs must rethink their concurrent engineering process toward more collaboration, while securing intellectual property. To address these challenges requires a new standard in Product Lifecycle Management that is nothing less than excellence.
Secure the industrial ramp-up of programs: To meet the aggressive production targets of new or existing programs, A&D industries must optimize their processes toward more integration both internally (from plants to final assembly line) and in the global supply chain (from Tier 1 suppliers to final assembly line).
Grow revenues from the services area: A&D industries must increasingly make the shift from products towards services in order to create new revenue streams through added-value services in maintenance activities. The best performing companies in the coming years will be.
