Military MRO Demand's Continued Growth

While the spotlight in global military aircraft markets tends to fall on procurement decisions, it is generally recognized that at least two thirds of an aircraft’s through-life costs come after the acquisition phase. Even without accounting for operating costs such as fuel and personnel, and excluding mid-life upgrades and service life extensions, the revenues generated from maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) activities alone represent a core component of the military aerospace business.

Over the next decade alone, Aviation Week Network expects military aircraft to generate $1.123 trillion in MRO demand, with annual demand increasing from $106 billion in 2021 to $120 billion in 2030.

With military aircraft fleet sizes generally on a downward trajectory since the end of the Cold War, much of the growth in MRO revenue comes from the increased costs associated with enhanced performance and the greater technological sophistication of modern-day platforms.