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Strategic Intelligence - Aerospace, Defense and Security Predictions 2026

Publisher GlobalData
Published Dec 16, 2025
Length 34 Pages
SKU # GBDT20768572

Description

Strategic Intelligence - Aerospace, Defense and Security Predictions 2026

Summary

The top ten themes pertaining to the aerospace, defense and security industries in 2026 are explored here. Understand how geopolitics, emerging technologies, and growing attention on certain domains such as counter-drone technologies, missile defense systems and electronic warfare will continue to disrupt the global market for air, defense and space products.

The top 10 tech themes for 2026

This report identifies the top 10 themes for 2026 across the aerospace, defense and security industry. For each theme, we offer a set of predictions, identify winners and losers, and point you to further reading.

Why themes are important

Our research shows that companies who invest in the right themes become success stories; those who miss the big themes impacting their industry will fail. Given that so many themes are disruptive, it is easy to be blindsided by industry outsiders invading your sector.

So, to help our clients gain a competitive advantage, GlobalData has developed its Strategic Intelligence Solution, a single, integrated global research platform that provides an easy-to-use framework for tracking all strategic issues-or themes-impacting all companies across all industries.

How to use this report

Our strategic intelligence analysts assess how well companies are positioned for the future based on their competitive position in the main themes disrupting their sector. To do this, we produce three tiers of strategic reports -
  • Single theme: These reports offer in-depth research into a specific theme (e.g., artificial intelligence).
  • Multi-theme: These reports cover all themes within a sector, giving readers a strong sense of how everything fits together.
  • Sector scorecard: Each sector scorecard identifies those companies most likely to succeed in a disruptive world.
This is a multi-theme report organized by theme.

Delve deeper into our strategic intelligence platform

Reading this report is the first step towards making better business decisions in 2026. Digging deeper into our strategic intelligence content can help you answer the fundamental strategic questions for 2026 -
  • What are the key business risks you face in 2026?
  • Which are the most important technologies to focus on in 2026?
  • Who are the leading vendors for these technologies?
  • Where are your competitors investing for tomorrow?
  • How can you better understand your customers’ key challenges?
  • What are the geopolitical risks within your supply chain?
Key Highlights
  • Theme information, summarizing likley upcoming changes in the industry.
  • Commercial predictions about the future of spending across various themes.
Scope
  • The report contains information about the current state of the themes, as well as expected changes in 2026.
  • The report also contains data about recent changes in deals, patents and jobs trends in the themes.
Reasons to Buy
  • Determine potential investment companies based on trend analysis and market projections.
  • Gaining an understanding of the market challenges and opportunities surrounding various themes.
  • Understanding how spending on various themes will fit into the overall market and which spending areas are being prioritized.

Table of Contents

34 Pages
Executive Summary
Top Themes for 2026
Viewing the world’s data by theme helps you make important decisions
Geopolitics
NATO, Ukraine, and European self-sufficiency
Asia-Pacific
The Middle East post-Gaza Ceasefire
Counter-Drone Technologies
Increasing need for cost-effective C-UAS capability
Increasing demand for C-UAS capability to protect key infrastructure
Winners and losers
Further reading
Missile Defense
Missile defense systems will be a key acquisition focus for modern militaries
Europe will be the key market
Winners and losers
Further reading
Hypersonic Technologies
Major countries will continue the development of hypersonic weapons
Research into commercial hypersonic applications will continue
Winners and losers
Further reading
Space Systems
Anti-satellite capabilities to become crucial
The ‘New Space Race’ to accelerate
Growing market for orbital debris monitoring
Winners and losers
Further reading
Alternative Propulsion
Commercial eVTOL designs are to be modified for military use
Emerging eVTOL demand for emergency services
Increase demand for air taxi services from major airlines
Winners and losers
Further reading
Electronic Warfare
Battlefield digitization to continue to drive market growth
Further use of EW systems in hybrid warfare
Demand for the integration of EW systems onto UAS
Winners and losers
Further reading
Soldier Modernization
Increased lethality of infantry to be a key focus
Continued demand for squad-level sUAS
Smart textiles to play a growing role in soldier PPE
Winners and losers
Further reading
Artificial Intelligence
Autonomous uncrewed platforms to develop across all domains
Increasing role of AI in the intelligence community
Persistent challenges to mass AI adoption in defense remain
Winners and losers
Further reading
Cloud Computing
Increasing cloud computing usage is a response to the data deluge
Cultivation of adjacent technologies
The presence of current data silos remains an obstacle
Winners and losers
Further reading
Glossary
Further Reading
GlobalData reports
Our Thematic Research Methodology
Report Authors
About GlobalData
Contact Us
List of Tables
Table 1: Glossary
Table 2: GlobalData reports
Table 3: Report Authors:
List of Figures
Figure 1: The biggest themes driving growth in 2026
Figure 2: Counter-Drone Technologies
Figure 3: Missile Defense
Figure 4: Hypersonic Technologies
Figure 5: Space Systems
Figure 6: Alternative Propulsion
Figure 7: Electronic Warfare
Figure 8: Soldier Modernization
Figure 9: Artificial Intelligence
Figure 10: Cloud Computing
Figure 11: Our approach to identifying the companies most likely to succeed in a sector over the next five years

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