Aircraft Survivability Equipment Market – Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, Segmented By Fit (Line Fit, Forward Fit), By Subsystem (Electronic Support, Electronic Attack, Non-Combat Systems), By Platform (Combat Aircraft, Combat Helicopter, Special Mission Aircraft, UAV), By Region & Competition, 2021-2031F

Forecast Period	2027-2031
Market Size (2025)	USD 5.53 Billion
CAGR (2026-2031)	5.92%
Fastest Growing Segment	UAV
Largest Market	North America
Market Size (2031)	USD 7.81 Billion

Market Overview

The Global Aircraft Survivability Equipment Market will grow from USD 5.53 Billion in 2025 to USD 7.81 Billion by 2031 at a 5.92% CAGR. Aircraft Survivability Equipment (ASE) constitutes a comprehensive suite of defensive systems, including threat warning receivers, laser countermeasures, and electronic jamming devices, designed to detect and defeat hostile targeting against military and rotary-wing aircraft. The market is primarily driven by escalating geopolitical instability and the widespread proliferation of advanced portable air defense systems, which compel nations to prioritize the protection of airborne assets. Furthermore, the systematic modernization of defense fleets to counter evolving radar and infrared threats provides sustained support for industry growth, distinct from temporary technological trends.

However, a significant challenge impeding broader market expansion is the technical complexity and high expense associated with integrating modern defensive suites into legacy airframes. This retrofitting process often encounters interoperability issues that strain procurement budgets and delay deployment. According to the Aerospace Industries Association, in 2024, the aerospace and defense industry generated 995 billion dollars in sales, underscoring the immense scale of capital required to support these critical fleet sustainment and modernization efforts within the global defense sector.

Key Market Drivers

The Expansion of Global Defense Budgets and Procurement Allocations acts as the primary catalyst for the Aircraft Survivability Equipment market, enabling nations to address the urgent need for fleet readiness against peer-level adversaries. As governments prioritize the protection of high-value aerial assets, increased funding is directly channeled into acquiring advanced defensive suites that can counter sophisticated threats. This fiscal growth allows defense ministries to overcome previous cost barriers associated with retrofitting legacy platforms and integrating next-generation countermeasures. According to NATO, April 2025, in its Secretary General’s Annual Report, European Allies and Canada invested a combined total of 486 billion dollars in defense during 2024, representing a 19.4% real-term increase that underscores the financial commitment driving this sector’s expansion.

Concurrently, the Growing Emphasis on Electronic Warfare and Situational Awareness is reshaping market requirements, as operators demand integrated systems capable of detecting threats long before engagement. This driver compels manufacturers to develop networked solutions that fuse data from multiple sensors, thereby enhancing the decision-making speed and survivability of aircrews in contested environments. Evidencing this trend, according to RTX, January 2025, its Collins Aerospace business was awarded a contract with a potential value of 904 million dollars to continue developing the Cooperative Engagement Capability, a critical system for integrated fire controls and sensor networking. The scale of industry activity supporting these modernization efforts is immense; according to BAE Systems, February 2025, the company reported a record order backlog of 77.8 billion pounds, reflecting the sustained global demand for advanced defense technologies.

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Key Market Challenges

The primary challenge impeding the growth of the Global Aircraft Survivability Equipment Market is the technical intricacy and substantial expense required to integrate modern defensive systems into legacy aircraft. As nations attempt to upgrade older fleets with advanced threat warning receivers and countermeasures, they frequently encounter severe interoperability failures where new digital suites cannot communicate effectively with outdated airframe architectures. This misalignment forces defense departments to divert capital toward complex custom engineering solutions rather than acquiring additional units, directly reducing the volume of equipment procurement and stalling market momentum.

Furthermore, these retrofitting difficulties extend project timelines, causing significant delays in the operational deployment of critical survivability assets. The financial burden of these sustainment efforts is immense, often consuming funds originally allocated for new acquisitions. According to the Aerospace, Security and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD), in 2024, the European defense sector alone generated a turnover of 183.4 billion euros, highlighting the massive scale of capital tied up in these industrial efforts. Consequently, the high costs and logistical bottlenecks associated with modernization programs limit the addressable market size, as budget-constrained operators are forced to scale back or postpone vital upgrades.

Key Market Trends

The Integration of Artificial Intelligence for Cognitive Threat Detection is revolutionizing the market as operators seek to counter frequency-agile radars and unknown emitters that traditional library-based systems cannot identify. This technological shift enables defensive suites to utilize machine learning algorithms for real-time signal processing, allowing aircraft to characterize and jam novel threats instantaneously without relying on pre-programmed threat databases. Reflecting this demand for intelligent adaptability, according to Saab, March 2024, the company received an order valued at approximately 291 million euros from Airbus Defence and Space to integrate the AI-enabled Arexis Electronic Warfare sensor suite onto German Eurofighter aircraft.

Simultaneously, the Widespread Adoption of Directed Infrared Countermeasure (DIRCM) Technology is replacing expendable flare systems to provide robust protection against advanced Man-Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS). Unlike traditional countermeasures that can be bypassed by modern seekers, laser-based systems physically blind the guidance mechanism of incoming heat-seeking missiles, ensuring higher survivability for slow-moving platforms like transport aircraft and helicopters. Evidencing this transition toward active laser defense, according to Elbit Systems, December 2024, the company was awarded contracts with an aggregate value of 175 million dollars to supply Directed Infrared Countermeasure (DIRCM) Self-Protection Suites for a NATO European country’s fleet.

Segmental Insights

The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle segment is emerging as the fastest-growing area in the Global Aircraft Survivability Equipment Market. This growth is driven by the rising strategic deployment of unmanned systems for high-risk combat and intelligence missions by defense agencies. As these high-value assets operate increasingly in contested airspaces, the integration of defensive countermeasures against infrared and radar-guided threats has become a critical requirement. Consequently, military procurement strategies are shifting toward equipping drone fleets with self-protection suites to mitigate vulnerability and ensure operational sustainability without risking human personnel.

Regional Insights

North America holds the dominant position in the Global Aircraft Survivability Equipment market, driven primarily by substantial defense budget allocations within the United States. The United States Department of Defense actively funds modernization programs to equip fixed-wing and rotary-wing fleets with advanced defensive systems. This sustained demand is supported by a strong industrial base of original equipment manufacturers located in the region. Furthermore, continuous efforts to upgrade legacy aircraft to counter emerging threats ensure a steady procurement cycle, reinforcing the region's market leadership.

Recent Developments

• In December 2024, Northrop Grumman announced that the United Kingdom had become the first international customer for its Common Infrared Countermeasures (CIRCM) system. This state-of-the-art aircraft survivability equipment will be installed on the Royal Air Force’s fleet of new Chinook Extended Range helicopters. The CIRCM system employs a lightweight, laser-based technology to track and defeat incoming infrared-guided missiles, providing critical protection for rotary-wing platforms. This export milestone demonstrates the expanding global footprint of this defensive technology, which is already operational on United States Army aircraft, and reflects the increasing prioritization of advanced infrared countermeasures by allied armed forces to mitigate heat-seeking threats.
• In November 2024, L3Harris Technologies achieved a major development milestone by completing the Safety of Flight qualification for its Viper Shield all-digital electronic warfare suite. Designed specifically for the F-16 Block 70/72 aircraft, this advanced system successfully passed rigorous testing regarding structural integrity, thermal safety, and aerodynamics. The Viper Shield is engineered to provide a virtual electronic shield around the aircraft, offering enhanced situational awareness and jamming capabilities against evolving radar threats. This technical achievement paves the way for flight testing and subsequent production deliveries, reinforcing the company’s commitment to supplying next-generation self-protection systems for international defense partners.
• In March 2024, Saab received a significant order from Airbus Defence and Space to provide the Arexis electronic warfare sensor suite for the German Air Force’s Eurofighter EK fleet. This strategic selection is intended to replace the legacy Tornado ECR aircraft, granting the Eurofighter advanced capabilities for the suppression of enemy air defenses. The Arexis suite utilizes artificial intelligence and high-performance hardware to detect, locate, and identify radar emitters in complex electromagnetic environments. This collaboration highlights the growing importance of integrating cognitive electronic warfare solutions into modern fighter jets to ensure mission success and platform survivability against sophisticated air defense systems.
• In February 2024, BAE Systems secured contracts valued at $114 million under the Foreign Military Sales program to supply the AN/AAR-57 Common Missile Warning System to United States allies. This combat-proven aircraft survivability solution integrates missile warning capabilities with hostile fire indication and controls for countermeasures, ensuring protection for rotary and fixed-wing aircraft in contested environments. The system automatically detects incoming threats and coordinates defensive responses, thereby significantly enhancing the safety of aircrews and platforms. This agreement underscores the continued global demand for advanced threat detection technologies to safeguard military assets against modern infrared-guided missiles and other complex battlefield hazards.

Key Market Players

• Northrop Grumman Corporation
• BAE Systems
• Saab AB
• Aselsan A.S.
• Elbit Systems Ltd.
• Chemring Group
• Thales Group
• Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd.
• Terma A/S
• Ruag Holding AG

By Fit	By Subsystem	By Platform	By Region
Line Fit Forward Fit	Electronic Support Electronic Attack Non-Combat Systems	Combat Aircraft Combat Helicopter Special Mission Aircraft UAV	North America Europe Asia Pacific South America Middle East & Africa

Report Scope:

In this report, the Global Aircraft Survivability Equipment Market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below:

• Aircraft Survivability Equipment Market, By Fit:

• Line Fit
• Forward Fit

• Aircraft Survivability Equipment Market, By Subsystem:

• Electronic Support
• Electronic Attack
• Non-Combat Systems

• Aircraft Survivability Equipment Market, By Platform:

• Combat Aircraft
• Combat Helicopter
• Special Mission Aircraft
• UAV

• Aircraft Survivability Equipment Market, By Region:

• North America
• United States
• Canada
• Mexico
• Europe
• France
• United Kingdom
• Italy
• Germany
• Spain
• Asia Pacific
• China
• India
• Japan
• Australia
• South Korea
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Colombia
• Middle East & Africa
• South Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE