Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) Market – Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, Segmented By Type (Electronic Intelligence (ELINT), Communications Intelligence (COMINT)), By Application (Airborne, Ground, Naval, Space, Cyber), By Mobility (Fixed, Man Portable), By Region, and By Competition 2021-2031F

Forecast Period	2027-2031
Market Size (2025)	USD 18.49 Billion
CAGR (2026-2031)	4.74%
Fastest Growing Segment	Electronic Intelligence (ELINT)
Largest Market	North America
Market Size (2031)	USD 24.41 Billion

Market Overview

The Global Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) Market will grow from USD 18.49 Billion in 2025 to USD 24.41 Billion by 2031 at a 4.74% CAGR. Signals Intelligence comprises the interception and analysis of foreign communications and non-communication electronic signals to derive intelligence for national security purposes. The market is primarily supported by rising geopolitical tensions and the critical necessity for spectrum dominance in modern military operations. Governments are heavily investing in the modernization of legacy defense systems to detect and neutralize evolving electronic threats. According to the European Defence Agency, in 2024, defense expenditure by EU Member States reached a record 343 billion euros, driven largely by equipment procurement and research. This substantial capital allocation facilitates the acquisition of advanced interception platforms required for maintaining information superiority.

However, the sector faces a significant challenge regarding the rapid advancement of signal encryption technologies. As adversaries adopt complex encryption protocols and stealth waveforms, the technical difficulty associated with decrypting and analyzing data increases disproportionately. This technological capability gap necessitates resource intensive innovation which can strain budget allocations and delay the operational deployment of effective intelligence solutions. Consequently, the high complexity of processing secure signals poses a tangible obstacle to the pace of market expansion.

Key Market Drivers

Surging global defense budgets and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) expenditure function as the primary catalysts for the Signals Intelligence sector. As nations confront expanding geopolitical conflicts, they prioritize financial allocations toward technologies that provide early warning and situational awareness. This fiscal expansion directly funds the procurement of airborne, naval, and ground-based interceptors capable of processing vast swathes of electromagnetic spectrum data to maintain strategic advantages. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), April 2024, in the 'Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2023' Fact Sheet, total global military expenditure increased by 6.8 percent to 2443 billion dollars, reflecting a steep rise in security investments. Such budgetary growth ensures sustained demand for high-frequency receivers and spectrum monitoring tools essential for national defense strategies.

The integration of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning constitutes the second major driver, addressing the overwhelming volume of intercepted data. Modern SIGINT systems must filter terabytes of noise to identify actionable intelligence, a task that exceeds human capability. AI algorithms automate signal classification and anomaly detection, thereby reducing the time between interception and decision-making for commanders in the field. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, March 2024, in the 'Fiscal Year 2025 Defense Budget Overview', the agency requested 1.8 billion dollars specifically to accelerate artificial intelligence adoption for enhanced decision advantage. Additionally, broad military modernization efforts continue to bolster market prospects through increased funding. According to the UK Government, in 2024, the Ministry of Defence secured an additional 2.9 billion pounds in the Autumn Budget to support global operations and improve readiness. These technological and financial commitments underscore the shift toward automated, data-driven intelligence architectures.

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Key Market Challenges

The rapid advancement of signal encryption technologies constitutes a substantial barrier to the growth of the Global Signals Intelligence market. As communication standards evolve toward increasingly complex protocols and stealth waveforms, the effectiveness of existing interception capabilities diminishes. This technological disparity creates a capability gap that forces defense manufacturers to divert capital heavily toward resource-intensive research and development rather than the immediate production and distribution of operational units. Consequently, the market experiences a deceleration in the procurement cycle, as defense agencies must delay the acquisition of intelligence systems until verified solutions capable of penetrating these modern security measures are available.

The financial and operational strain caused by this requirement for constant innovation directly hampers market scalability. The complexity involved in decrypting secure data streams raises the cost of entry and development, effectively straining budget allocations that could otherwise support broader market expansion. According to the Global mobile Suppliers Association, in 2024, the number of operators globally investing in 5G Standalone networks reached 124, representing a widespread shift toward network architectures that utilize significantly more robust encryption standards than previous generations. This surge in secure commercial infrastructure accelerates the obsolescence of legacy SIGINT tools, restricting market momentum as the industry struggles to align its technical processing speeds with the pace of global encryption adoption.

Key Market Trends

The Proliferation of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) SIGINT Satellite Constellations is reshaping the market by shifting from geostationary assets to distributed networks of cost-effective spacecraft. This architecture offers higher revisit rates and resilience, enabling real-time tracking of global radio frequency emissions. Commercial entities are driving this expansion, securing capital to deploy constellations that supplement government data. According to FinSMEs, February 2024, in the 'Unseenlabs Raises €85M in Funding' article, the company secured 85 million euros to expand its observation capabilities through the launch of multiple satellites to geolocate radio signals. This investment highlights the growing operational necessity of space-based interception layers.

The Convergence of Cyber Warfare and Signals Intelligence Capabilities merges sensing, electronic attack, and cyber effects into unified platforms. Modern tactical units are deploying integrated solutions capable of simultaneously detecting signals and executing non-kinetic attacks to disrupt adversary systems. This trend is accelerating the procurement of multi-function terrestrial systems. According to DefenseScoop, March 2024, in the 'Army alters funding again for integrated cyber, EW, SIGINT system to speed up delivery of critical manpack version' article, the U.S. Army requested 95.4 million dollars for fiscal 2025 to procure 54 Terrestrial Layer System-Brigade Combat Team (TLS-BCT) units. This demonstrates the transition toward hardware fusing intelligence with offensive cyber activities.

Segmental Insights

The Electronic Intelligence segment is recognized as the fastest-growing category within the Global Signals Intelligence market. This trajectory is driven by an intensifying global focus on electronic warfare and the critical need to detect non-communication signals, particularly from radar and missile guidance systems. Defense organizations, such as the United States Department of Defense, are prioritizing investments in technologies that identify and classify foreign electronic emissions to maintain strategic advantages. This heightened demand for precise signal analysis and threat identification directly supports the rapid expansion of the Electronic Intelligence sector.

Regional Insights

North America maintains a dominant position in the Global Signals Intelligence market, primarily driven by substantial defense expenditures within the United States. The region benefits from continuous procurement initiatives authorized by federal entities such as the U.S. Department of Defense, which prioritizes the enhancement of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities. Furthermore, the presence of established defense contractors facilitates the consistent development of integrated electronic warfare systems. This strong alignment between government security mandates and industrial production capabilities ensures the region remains the central hub for market expansion and technological implementation.

Recent Developments

• In December 2025, BAE Systems secured a $36 million production contract from Lockheed Martin to deliver Multifunction Modular Mast (MMM) systems for the U.S. Navy's Virginia-class submarines. The MMM system features a radio frequency receiving antenna that provides submarines with the capability to detect, identify, and direction-find adversary communication signals while remaining submerged. These antennas will feed into the AN/BLQ-10 electronic warfare system, enhancing the fleet's electromagnetic spectrum dominance. The mast's design is pressure-rated and corrosion-resistant, ensuring survival in harsh undersea environments while maximizing signal-gathering performance and minimizing visibility.
• In June 2025, Thales unveiled a new mini communications intelligence (COMINT) sensor payload for unmanned aerial vehicles at the Paris Air Show. This system, which operates across a frequency range of 200 MHz to 6 GHz, enables the passive detection and classification of enemy communications, including software-defined radios and satellite communications. Weighing only 4.5 kg, the sensor is optimized for integration into small platforms while providing both stand-off and stand-in localization capabilities. The payload offers 3D localization of signal direction, leveraging global navigation satellite services to deliver precise positioning data for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions.
• In November 2024, Indra unveiled a new signals intelligence (SIGINT) solution at the Euronaval trade fair in Paris, designed to strengthen the protection of naval vessels. This advanced system detects radar and communication signals in a ship's environment and cross-references them with an extensive library to assess potential threats. Optimised for size, weight, and power consumption, the technology is adaptable for various vessel classes, ranging from patrol boats to complex warships. The system's automated functions streamline threat analysis and identification, enabling it to operate independently or integrate into broader sensor networks for enhanced situational awareness.
• In October 2024, Saab launched the Sirius Compact L20C, a highly mobile passive sensor designed for the tactical reconnaissance of communication signals. This new addition to the company's electronic warfare sensor family was presented at an event in Nuremberg, Germany. The system is engineered to detect, classify, localize, and track communication signals, such as those from enemy radios or drones, thereby supporting the electromagnetic situation picture. Its compact form factor allows for versatile deployment options, including soldier-borne transport or installation on light vehicles. The sensor follows Software Defined Defence principles, ensuring seamless integration into command and control systems.

Key Market Players

• General Dynamics Mission Systems, Inc.
• BAE Systems PLC
• National Instruments Corporation
• Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co KG
• ThinkRF Corp.
• Keysight Technologies, Inc.
• Thales Group
• Leonardo S.p.A.
• L3Harris Technologies
• Collins Aerospace

By Type	By Application	By Mobility	By Region
Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) Communications Intelligence (COMINT)	Airborne Ground Naval Space Cyber	Fixed Man Portable	North America Europe Asia Pacific South America Middle East & Africa

Report Scope:

In this report, the Global Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) Market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below:

• Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) Market, By Type:

• Electronic Intelligence (ELINT)
• Communications Intelligence (COMINT)

• Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) Market, By Application:

• Airborne
• Ground
• Naval
• Space
• Cyber

• Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) Market, By Mobility:

• Fixed
• Man Portable

• Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) 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