Aircraft Computers Market Research Report and Outlook by 2028

The Aircraft Computers market size is projected to reach to US$ 7,140.12 million by 2028; it is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 5.8% from 2022 to 2028.

The ecosystem of the aircraft computers market is undergoing changes, with stakeholders including component suppliers, aircraft computer manufacturers, and end users. The major players are situated in the second tier of the market ecosystem. Suppliers of components offer actuators, sensors, control systems, and other items to various product manufacturers, who use them to produce the final product, which is subsequently distributed to aircraft manufacturers, MRO vendors, commercial airlines, military forces, and owners of business jets or helicopters. The presence of a significant number of aircraft OEMs, combined with a backlog of aircraft orders, is expected to drive growth in the aircraft computers market in North America in the coming years. Additionally, rising demand for aircraft computers in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is another factor that is supporting market growth in this region.

According to the 2019 Boeing Commercial Market Outlook report, the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region is expected to receive around 40% of all new commercial airplane deliveries over the next two decades. This surge in demand for air cargo in the area is anticipated to necessitate over 1,000 dedicated freighters in the coming years, with two-thirds of these freighters being passenger-to-freighter airplane conversions. Additionally, Boeing projects that the demand for aviation services in APAC will increase by 5.1%, resulting in a total cost of US$3,480 billion. As a result, the flourishing aviation sector in APAC represents significant growth potential for the aircraft computers market.

The market study profiles the leading players in the aircraft computers market, including BAE Systems, Garmin Ltd., General Electric, General Dynamics Mission Systems, Inc., Honeywell International Inc., Lockheed Martin Corporation, Raytheon Technologies, SAAB AB, Safran Group, and Thales Group.

According to major charter service providers in Europe, aviation traffic in 2020 rose by approximately 20-30% in comparison to 2019. Airlines in the region are responding to this robust demand by expanding their fleets. Flexjet, which is part of the Directional Aviation group, received an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) for Malta in July 2021 as part of its European expansion, and it expanded its fleet in Europe by 40% in the first half of 2021. Such expansion plans, combined with recent advances in computer technology like virtual reality and artificial intelligence, are increasing demand for new aircraft and driving growth in the aircraft computers market.

Boeing has received orders for around 300 of the new generation of the 777 family, and in April 2022, it postponed the delivery of its first 777X aircraft until 2025. In May 2021, Airbus announced an average production rate of 45 aircraft per month for the A320 Family to be achieved by the fourth quarter of 2021, which is expected to further boost the growth of the aircraft computers market.

Airbus is projected to increase its production rate to 64 aircraft per month by the second quarter of 2023, 70 aircraft per month by the first quarter of 2024, and 75 aircraft per month by 2024. Moreover, in May 2022, Qantas confirmed its order for 12 units of the Airbus A350-1000 for its ultra-long-haul Project Sunrise initiative, which is expected to further bolster the growth of the aircraft computers market.

According to Boeing's Commercial Market Outlook 2021-2040, the company anticipates delivering a total of 43,610 aircraft over the next 20 years, comprising 2,390 regional jets, 32,660 single-aisle aircraft, 7,670 widebody aircraft, and 890 freighter deliveries. As a result, the backlog of aircraft deliveries presents potential growth opportunities for the players in the aircraft computers market throughout the forecast period.

The integration of connected electronic modules is enabling aviation operators to access, transmit, and analyze crucial flight operation and aircraft maintenance data using new methods. In February 2022, Collins Aerospace introduced a new power module to support open architecture applications, including mission computers, signal processors, aircraft communication, and radar systems. Similarly, in February 2022, Mercury Systems, Inc. unveiled the FIOVU-2180 and CIO10-2080 6U OpenVPX avionics modules that are well-suited for mission-critical applications such as flight computing, platform management, and artificial intelligence (AI). As a result, the increasing adoption of electronic modules in the aircraft industry is opening up promising growth opportunities for the aircraft computers market.

The growth of the aircraft computers market is being fueled by several factors such as the increasing demand for in-flight entertainment, a surge in aircraft renewals, and rising aircraft deliveries. The growing number of passengers and aircraft is also driving the demand for in-flight entertainment. Moreover, the increasing installation of Wi-Fi on planes, combined with passengers carrying multiple digital devices, is boosting the inflight experience. In March 2022, Safran Passenger Innovations introduced RAVE OS, a modern software platform with a user-friendly interface. Hence, the rise in the adoption of in-flight entertainment systems is introducing new trends in the aircraft computers market.

The aircraft computers market is analyzed on the basis of component, type, platform, and fit type. Based on component, the market is segmented into hardware and software. Based on type, the market is segmented into flight controls, utility controls, engine controls, mission computers, and flight management computers. Based on platform, the market is segmented into fixed wing aircraft, rotary wing aircraft, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Based on fit type, the market is segmented into line fit and retrofit.

The aircraft computers market is segmented into five major regions: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), the Middle East & Africa (MEA), and South America (SAM). In 2020, North America led the market with the largest market share, followed by APAC. Further, APAC is expected to register the highest CAGR in the aircraft computers market during 2022-2028.