The U.S. Aerospace & Defense industry is the leader in the creation, research and manufacture of technically advanced aerospace systems, space programs and defense applications. It provides a variety of services to federal, state and local agencies and in support of the military as a whole. A&D produces or services a variety of national security and critical pieces of our space program. These include space shuttles, stealth fighters, global positioning system receivers, satellite launches and navigation satellites.
A&D aerospace & defense designs and builds aircraft such as stealth fighters, long-range laser-guided missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, and unmanned ground vehicles. They also provide support to the military by designing and producing military hardware such as battle vehicles, battle ships, helicopters, aircraft carriers, ground troops, tactical vehicles, armaments, logistics, and space systems. They also provide support for the intelligence community by building space and spy technologies and sensors. All of these endeavors are important components of U.S. national defense.
The aerospace & defense industry’s future growth depends upon numerous factors. One such factor is the continuing growth of China as a major partner in our nation’s defense policy. The Chinese have a long-term plan to invest billions of dollars into our nation’s infrastructure. In addition, they are looking for partners on the international front. In fact, China is very interested in working with the United States to develop long-term Littmann communications satellites.
China’s primary investment will be in the manufacture of low-cost long-term communications systems. This would be used to improve the tracking of its military aircraft and to reduce maintenance costs for the same. MRO companies such as MRO Technology and HughesNet are working hard at the forefront of this effort.
Another element of the aerospace & defense business is the value chain. The value chain begins with the customer, who is the customer for both the consumer goods and services and the military aircraft themselves. Customers in this region include both government and private sector entities. The first step for the MRO is to provide customer needs analysis and then develop a value chain approach that will support those needs. MRO companies must work hard to keep the military aircraft and systems on-budget and at the same time maintain quality.
UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) research and development is another important aspect of the aerospace and defense industry. The United States Military has an urgent need for unmanned aerial vehicles for operations inside of the United States and for other overseas operations. UAV technology is still evolving, but advances are being made regularly. For example, the Army wants to replace its MRAP trucks with all-electric, remote-controlled vehicles capable of conducting long-range operations and protecting convoys of war vehicles.
As the Defense MRO continues to evolve, the focus will continue to be on cost, schedule, reliability, technology and performance. The future of defense must put affordability, reliability, technology and performance first. While we’re focusing on affordability, the enemy within the defense industry is doing just that. China and Russia are developing their own versions of unmanned aerial vehicles (OV) and are adding elements of military intelligence, surveillance, and missile systems along with robotic warfare. The UAV must also have the ability to conduct a high-volume production rate with low maintenance and availability.
The future of aerospace and defense MRO programs and technologies will require forward thinking, rapid innovation and a strong emphasis on program management, information sharing, and a shared vision. In order to be successful, aerospace MRO programs must be flexible and evolve along with the changing threats, budgets and missions. A good example is the CCV Pandemic Virus Modification Program which is focused on producing a virus for military purposes that can evade conventional protection and still maintain effective antiviral, sequestering and antimicrobial capabilities.