Asia-Pacific Aerospace Composites Market Trends

The military aircraft segment is expected to be driven by the growth in the adoption of composites in various parts and components of the newer generation of military aircraft. The composites used in military aircraft are lightweight, durable, and chemical and temperature-resilient. An important use of composite materials is in the development of stealth aircraft that use radar-absorbing composite materials to form most of the aircraft’s structure. Carbon- and glass fiber-reinforced plastic laminates are used in Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II in structures, like vertical stabilizers, tail, flaps, and wings’ skin, that account for approximately 40% of the weight of the aircraft. For instance, in January 2023, BAE Systems Australia secured a new contract with Lockheed Martin to activate an F-35 Asia-Pacific Regional Warehouse at its Williamtown aircraft sustainment operations in regional New South Wales. Also, in February 2023, Singapore announced that the country would purchase eight additional F-35B Lightning II fighter jets on top of the four for which a deal was signed in 2019. The announcement indicates that the F-35s are rapidly proliferating in China’s neighborhood. Thus, the growing use of composites in the newer generation of military aircraft and the increasing procurement of such aircraft are currently driving the growth of the military segment.