May 2025 - Aviation, Inflight and Aero Connectivity Consultants

Avionics Industry Set to Soar Into 2032 Amid M&A Boom and Tech Advancements

Global Avionics Round-Up from Aircraft Value News (AVN)

The global avionics industry, valued at approximately USD 91.32 billion in 2023, is forecast to surge to USD 179.44 billion by 2032, growing at a robust compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.67%, according to a new report by Fortune Business Insights. In 2023, North America emerged as the dominant regional market, holding a commanding 37.25% share of the global revenue.

Market Overview

The avionics sector is undergoing a transformation fueled by rapid technological innovation and a growing need for more sophisticated, reliable, and eco-efficient aviation systems. Fleet modernization efforts are accelerating, with airlines and manufacturers embracing integrated flight control systems, advanced navigation tools, and cutting-edge communication technologies.

The proliferation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), along with the push toward automation and environmental sustainability, is propelling new investments into the sector. From fuel-efficient systems to reduced emissions avionics, the demand for greener, smarter technology is driving the next wave of growth in aerospace.

Industry Consolidation on the Rise

A major trend reshaping the global avionics landscape is the sharp increase in consolidation through mergers and acquisitions (M&As). Over the past decade, the number of independent avionics firms in the United States and globally has dwindled significantly, as larger companies acquire smaller players to gain technological capabilities, streamline operations, and achieve economies of scale.

This wave of consolidation is expected to intensify in 2025. As inflationary pressures tied to tariffs and supply chain disruptions from President Trump’s trade policies continue to squeeze margins, avionics companies are likely to seek mergers as a way to cut costs and maintain profitability. These deals aim to bolster Research and Development (R&D) efficiency, reduce overlapping operations, and strengthen bargaining power across the supply chain.

Market Segmentation Highlights

Hardware Segment: Dominates the market and is forecast to maintain strong growth in 2025 and beyond, thanks to its role in trajectory calculation and multitasking capabilities essential to modern flight systems.
Commercial Aircraft Segment: Expected to see rapid expansion as global air travel rebounds and demand for next-generation commercial jets surges.
Aftermarket Segment: Continues to play a vital role, driven by fleet upgrades and retrofitting programs across the commercial aviation sector.

Regional Analysis

North America: Remains a powerhouse, underpinned by a strong aerospace manufacturing base and rising demand for commercial jets. Major avionics firms headquartered in the U.S. reinforce the region’s dominance.
Europe: Forecast to register significant growth, supported by the presence of global avionics giants and their diverse product lines.
Asia Pacific and Rest of World: Gaining traction due to rising air traffic, expanding airline fleets, and increased investment in defense modernization programs.

Leading Companies in the Avionics Sector

BAE Systems (U.K.)
Cobham (U.K.)
Raytheon Technologies (U.S.)
Garmin (U.S.)
General Electric (U.S.)
Honeywell International (U.S.)
L3Harris Technologies (U.S.)
Meggitt (U.K.)
Safran (France)
Teledyne Technologies (U.S.)
Thales Group (France)
TransDigm Group (U.S.)

These companies are adopting aggressive strategies to stay competitive, ranging from M&As and product launches to strategic partnerships and global expansion initiatives.

This article originally appeared in our partner publication, Aircraft Value News.

John Persinos is the editor-in-chief of Aircraft Value News.

The post Avionics Industry Set to Soar Into 2032 Amid M&A Boom and Tech Advancements appeared first on Avionics International.

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Blind Spots in the Sky: The Fatal Flaws of “See and Avoid” and the Tech That’s Emerging to Fill the Gap

Global Avionics Round-Up from Aircraft Value News (AVN)

In the bustling airspace above the United States, thousands of aircraft cross invisible paths each day, relying on a combination of technology, regulations, and human judgment to avoid catastrophe.

One Air Traffic Control (ATC) principle, known as “see and avoid,” is as old as powered flight itself. It instructs pilots to visually scan for other aircraft and maneuver accordingly to prevent mid-air collisions. The problem is that this practice, still relied upon in certain segments of American aviation, is not just outdated. It is dangerously inadequate in a modern, crowded, and complex airspace system.

The controversy surrounding see and avoid erupted once again in January following a fatal mid-air collision in the skies above Washington, DC. A military Black Hawk helicopter and a civilian aircraft collided in what investigators now describe as a breakdown in communication, awareness, and system coordination.

Both aircraft were operating under Visual Flight Rules (VFR), and both were, technically, obeying the guidelines of see and avoid. The tragedy raises a brutal question: is this guidance, enshrined by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and still deeply embedded in American aviation culture, fundamentally flawed?

To answer that, we must first look at the regulatory and structural deficiencies of the FAA and the broader U.S. ATC system. The U.S. has long prided itself on having the largest and most advanced aviation infrastructure in the world. But behind this reputation is a system plagued by chronic underfunding, outdated technology, and bureaucratic inertia.

While other countries have moved swiftly to privatize and modernize air traffic control operations, the U.S. ATC system remains tethered to mid-20th-century hardware and software, much of it unable to keep pace with today’s volume of air traffic.

This dysfunction creates pressure points throughout the system. One of them is the increased reliance on visual navigation protocols, particularly in uncontrolled airspace or during periods when radar coverage is limited.

Instead of mandating onboard collision-avoidance technologies across the board or enforcing stricter ATC oversight in more flight corridors, the FAA has effectively allowed pilots to “see and avoid” their way out of trouble. In other words, the safety of modern flight is being offloaded onto the human eye — a biological sensor with built-in limitations, particularly in conditions of glare, fatigue, and high closing speeds.

This isn’t just theoretical concern. Data from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reveals that mid-air collisions are not rare flukes. They tend to cluster around busy airspace, especially in training zones, military-civilian shared airspace, and around uncontrolled airports. The Black Hawk incident in DC is emblematic of a larger systemic vulnerability. It occurred in one of the most monitored and restricted zones in American airspace. If a failure could happen there, it can happen anywhere.

Avionics rises to the challenge…

The avionics industry has not been blind to these issues. In fact, the inadequacy of see and avoid has become a rallying point for manufacturers and engineers designing the next generation of safety systems.

Modern Traffic Collision Avoidance Systems (TCAS), which provide pilots with real-time warnings and evasive instructions, have been a major step forward. But they are not universally required in all aircraft categories, especially among general aviation aircraft. This patchwork adoption leaves too many aircraft outside the digital safety net.

Emerging technologies promise to revolutionize this landscape. Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B), now required in most controlled airspace in the U.S., allows aircraft to broadcast their GPS-derived position to ATC and nearby aircraft. It’s a powerful tool for increasing situational awareness, but like TCAS, its impact is limited by uneven uptake and lack of integration into all cockpits.

More futuristic, and potentially transformative, are vision-based synthetic awareness systems and artificial intelligence (AI)-powered copilot aids. These systems combine computer vision, machine learning, and high-resolution sensors to detect and track nearby aircraft, even in visual or radar dead zones.

Think of them as digital eyes that never blink, fatigue, or get distracted. Several startups and defense contractors are already testing these systems for both civil and military use, often in tandem with augmented reality displays that place traffic information directly in the pilot’s field of view.

But even these advancements are hamstrung by regulatory bottlenecks. The FAA, notoriously cautious and slow to approve new technologies, has not kept pace with the development cycles of the private sector. Avionics companies face years-long approval processes to get new safety features certified and often must compromise designs to fit legacy regulatory frameworks that still assume “see and avoid” is the default fallback mechanism.

There’s a clear irony here. At a time when self-driving cars are achieving remarkable success in avoiding collisions on crowded city streets, we are still trusting human eyeballs to prevent 400-knot metal machines from occupying the same point in the sky. This is not just an operational gap. It’s a philosophical failure in aviation oversight.

The FAA’s own charter emphasizes the prevention of accidents, not just the post-mortem investigation of them. Yet the Black Hawk disaster, and others like it, reveal a system that responds to tragedy, rather than acting decisively to prevent it.

“See and avoid” may have made sense when barnstormers ruled the skies, but today, it is a relic, a romantic but perilous vestige of a simpler time. In the age of AI, automation, and autonomous flight, relying on visual lookout as the cornerstone of mid-air safety is no longer acceptable. The next Black Hawk crash may already be in motion, its gears turning in a regulatory system too slow to see what’s coming — and too dysfunctional to avoid it.

This article originally appeared in our partner publication, Aircraft Value News.

John Persinos is the editor-in-chief of Aircraft Value News.

The post Blind Spots in the Sky: The Fatal Flaws of “See and Avoid” and the Tech That’s Emerging to Fill the Gap appeared first on Avionics International.

America’s Air Traffic Control Crisis Exposes FAA’s Struggles

Global Avionics Round-Up from Aircraft Value News (AVN)

The U.S. Air Traffic Control (ATC) system, once a symbol of aviation excellence, is now facing a crisis marked by staffing shortages, outdated technology, and operational chaos.

Recent disruptions at Newark Liberty International Airport have spotlighted these systemic issues, raising concerns about the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) ability to ensure safe and efficient air travel.

Brace yourself — the delays, cancellations, and safety issues recently plaguing Newark Airport could soon hit airports across the U.S.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy recently warned that “antiquated systems” at many major airports nationwide are overdue for a multibillion-dollar upgrade.

Duffy told NBC’s “Meet the Press” on May 11 that he intends to reduce the number of flights at Newark airport over the “next several weeks.”

“What you see in Newark is going to happen in other places across the country,” Duffy said. “It has to be fixed.”

Newark: A Microcosm of National ATC Challenges

In early May, Newark Liberty International Airport experienced significant operational disruptions. On one occasion, only three air traffic controllers were on duty instead of the required 14, leading to flight delays of up to seven hours. This staffing shortfall was compounded by three communication blackouts that temporarily prevented the control tower from monitoring aircraft.

The FAA’s decision to shift Newark’s airspace oversight to Philadelphia also has led to system connectivity problems and reduced staffing due to trauma-related leave. To maintain safety, the FAA has required airlines to scale back flights, and United Airlines has already cut 35 daily roundtrips at the airport.

A Nationwide Staffing Crisis

Transportation Secretary Duffy pledged initiatives including raises, bonuses, faster hiring, and infrastructure upgrades, but warned the issue is long-term due to the 1-3 years required to train new hires. With an average salary of $160,000, controller roles

require no college degree, though applicants must pass numerous rigorous tests and be under 31 years old, unless they already have experience.

The shortage extends beyond controllers. The nation has more than 4,800 systems specialists who install, operate, maintain, and repair the nation’s more than 74,000 radar, communications, navigational aids, computer automation, airport lighting, and other important infrastructure systems.

The number of systems specialists has declined for several years and is getting worse as more specialists are retiring every year. Insufficient systems specialist staffing not only leads to prolonged restoration times and increased air traffic delays during outages but also poses challenges in ensuring adequate shift coverage.

Outdated Technology and Infrastructure

The FAA’s reliance on aging technology has been a longstanding issue. The Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen), initiated in 2007, aims to modernize the National Airspace System by 2030. However, progress has been slow, and many legacy systems remain in operation.

A 2024 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report found that 51 of the FAA’s 138 air traffic control systems are “unsustainable” and in urgent need of modernization. Some systems are over 30 years old and lack modernization plans, posing significant risks to air travel safety and efficiency.

The FAA’s modernization efforts have also faced challenges. The agency has been slow to modernize the most critical and at-risk systems.

Specifically, when considering age, sustainability ratings, operational impact level, and expected date of modernization for each system, as of May 2024, the FAA had 17 systems that were especially concerning. The investments intended to modernize these systems were not planned to be completed for at least six years. In some cases, they were not to be completed for at least 10 years.

Technological Initiatives and Future Prospects

Despite these challenges, the FAA is pursuing several technological initiatives to address the crisis. The NextGen program includes the implementation of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B), a technology that allows aircraft to broadcast their position to air traffic control and other aircraft, enhancing situational awareness and safety.

Another initiative is the National Airspace System Voice Switch (NVS) project, which aims to establish a single set of scalable voice switches that can support a dynamic flow of air traffic. This would enable more flexible and efficient voice communications between controllers and pilots.

The FAA also is exploring the use of remote and virtual towers, which allow air traffic services to be provided from a location other than the local control tower. This concept has been implemented in other countries and could offer cost savings and increased efficiency for U.S. airports.

The U.S. ATC system is at a critical juncture. While the FAA has initiated several modernization efforts, progress has been slow, and significant risks remain.

This article originally appeared in our partner publication, Aircraft Value News.

John Persinos is the editor-in-chief of Aircraft Value News.

The post America’s Air Traffic Control Crisis Exposes FAA’s Struggles appeared first on Avionics International.

Airbus Details Second ALC Program Demo, L3Harris Providing Unmanned Lakota’s ‘Digital Backbone’

Rendering of Airbus’ MQ-72C, its offering for the Marine Corps’ Aerial Logistics Connector program. (Photo: Airbus)

Airbus U.S. said May 20 it recently completed a second demo to inform its work on the Marine Corps’ Aerial Logistics Connector (ALC) program, which follows a recent announcement it’s working with L3Harris Technologies on the effort to develop an unmanned version of the UH-72 Lakota aircraft.

L3Harris will serve as the lead systems integrator on Airbus’ team for ALC, which is offering the uncrewed MQ-72C for the program to develop an unmanned cargo-carrying platform.

“I’m really excited about this partnership because it brings the best in class from the airframe side, [in terms] of manufacturing and supporting and sustaining rotorcraft, and best in breed from a systems engineering, systems integration, digital backbone and [modular open systems architecture perspective],” Rob Geckle, chairman and CEO of Airbus U.S., said last week during a briefing at the Army Aviation Association of America’s annual conference in Nashville.

The Marine Corps last April selected Airbus for the competitive ALC development effort, with an aim to have a prototype that’s ready to transition into fielding within five years.

Airbus has said MQ-72C, the unmanned version of its UH-72 helicopter being developed for ALC, is intended to have a cruise speed of 135 knots, a maximum takeoff weight of over 8.300 pounds and a range above 350 nautical miles.

“[The MQ-72C] is a low-risk, affordable solution. And we think that’s hitting the sweet spot when you have demanding mission requirements and resource constraints,” Geckle told reporters, noting Airbus has invested $20 million into developing the MQ-72C.

Geckle said Airbus is targeting production of a minimum viable MQ-72C prototype in the 2028 timeframe and then moving toward production of a final design in 2029.

“We plan on being ready for [low-rate initial production], if that’s what NAVAIR wants to do, by 2030,” Geckle said.

The Marine Corps also selected a team led by Near Earth Autonomy, that also includes Honeywell and Leonardo Helicopters, for the ALC development effort.

Airbus said the second program demo for ALC was conducted at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma and evaluating the performance characteristics of the UH-72 Lakota, validating “the aircraft’s ability to load and carry specialized cargo” and detailing how the platform can be modified to meet requirements for an uncrewed cargo-carrying capability.

“This demonstration was another illustration of how our MQ-72C system can support a range of missions and payloads that Marines will need to perform operations in austere environments,” Geckle said in a statement on May 20. “We believe this aircraft will redefine the future of Marine Corps aviation.”

Geckle said last week feedback from the Marine Corps and Naval Air Systems Command is being incorporated into continued development work on the MQ-72C.

L3Harris’ work on the Airbus’ ALC team will include providing a modular open systems architecture (MOSA) for the MQ-72C to serve as the future platform’s “digital backbone.”

“Combined with their modular open systems approach, the infrastructure enables the U.S. Marines to rapidly integrate third-party, commercial off-the-shelf hardware that will enable maximum system versatility and mission adaptability,” Airbus said in a statement last week.

Jason Lambert, L3Harris’ president of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, told reporters the company has invested $24 million of its own research and development dollars into building out the MOSA capability, noting it’s already been fielded as part of its work on the Army’s ATHENA-R interim ISR jet capability.

“So the best thing about this is there’s not the development risk that comes with a traditional DoD program of record,” Lambert said.

In late April, Airbus announced it had partnered with Shield AI to integrate its autonomy software for the MQ-72C, citing the firm’s “record of succeeding quickly” in integrating autonomous capabilities as a key factor in the decision to work together on the ALC program.

“And with Shield AI as our autonomy partner, this reminds me of the 1992 Dream Team back in the Olympics,” Geckle told reporters. “[DoD] wants autonomous solutions. They want something to support missions [for] distributed logistics in contests and semi-contested environments. They want it to be affordable. And they want it to be a platform that can meet the schedule. If you’re using readily available capabilities on the systems integration and MOSA side with aircraft that are readily available with a hot production line, that just helps you on the cost and on schedule.”

Airbus said additional ALC demos are planned for 2025 to “inform future acquisition decisions for the opportunity to build a prototype aircraft.”

“The demos that we’ve done have proven out the capabilities of the airframe itself. And we expect that, in the future, will start proving out the capability and autonomy solutions based on the Marine Corps’ mission requirements,” Geckle said.

Geckle noted Airbus views the MQ-72C as “having utility” beyond the Marine Corps, and the company has “engaged” with the Army’s UAS program office and Contested Logistics Cross-Functional Team to gauge potential interest in the platform.

A version of this story originally appeared in affiliate publication Defense Daily.

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Hermeus Achieves Flight With Quarterhorse Mk 1 Remotely Piloted Aircraft

Hermeus’ Quarterhorse Mk 1 uncrewed flight test aircraft. (Photo: Hermeus)

Hermeus on May 27 said its Quarterhorse Mk 1 unmanned aircraft successfully flew for the first time, a key milestone on the startup’s path to developing high-Mach and hypersonic aircraft.

The May 21 flight and landing at Edwards AFB, Calif., came about five months later than the Atlanta-based company had hoped. The main goal of the company’s test campaign is to validate high-speed takeoff and landing.

The company said the successful test campaign and flight of the Mk 1 “validated design and performance models, including aerodynamics, stability and control. Testing also validated performance of vehicle subsystems including propulsion, fuel systems, hydraulics, power, thermal management, avionics, flight software, telemetry, flight termination, and command and control.”

The Mk 1 is powered by the GE Aerospace J85 engine. The Mk 2 will be powered by the RTX Pratt & Whitney F100-229 turbofan engines used on the Air Force’s F-15 and F-16 fighters. The F100 will feature a precooler to give the engine more speed, a feature of the startup’s future Chimera engine this is a hybrid of a turbojet for takeoff to get an aircraft to supersonic speeds, and a ramjet that will allow an aircraft to reach hypersonic speeds.

A successful flight is also seen as important to demonstrate the business perspective for investors and customers.

Design of the Mk 1 began in the fourth quarter of 2023.

Hermeus is reviewing data and lessons from the flight for integration into the Quarterhorse Mk 2, which is currently being manufactured and remains on track to fly late this year. The Chimera engine will be integrated on the Quarterhorse Mk 3, which the company hopes to fly in 2026.

Hermeus’ goal is to develop full-scale jet aircraft that can take-off and land on runways and achieve hypersonic speed in flight.

A version of this story originally appeared in affiliate publication Defense Daily.

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Anduril Teams With eVTOL Developer Archer To Pitch UK Military and Civil Aircraft

Archer Aviation has publicly unveiled its production aircraft, Midnight. The Midnight eVTOL aircraft is the evolution of the demonstrator aircraft, Maker. (Photo: Archer)

Archer Aviation’ production aircraft, Midnight. The Midnight eVTOL aircraft is the evolution of the demonstrator aircraft, Maker. (Photo: Archer)

Anduril Industries’ UK subsidiary this week announced it is leading a team with Archer Aviation to bid for future military and civil flight opportunities with the latter’s Midnight electric vertical Takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

Other partners announced in this team include Skyports Drone Services and AtkinsRéalis.

The companies said they plan to look into both civil and military uses, including beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations as well as enabling low-emission, rapid-response logistics to support a range of U.K.-focused civil and military use cases, like cargo.

The current Archer Midnight eVTOL is billed as designed to conduct quick back-to-back 20-50 minute flights with a rapid “minimal charge time” between flights for a pilot and up to four passengers and carry-on luggage. The aircraft is powered by six independent proprietary battery packs and designed to reach speeds up to 150 mph.

Under this scheme, Anduril will be the lead systems integrator as it incorporates the software-defined mission autonomy, communications and command and control systems geared to U.K. operational needs. Archer will then act as the platform provider, adapting the eVTOL for dual use applications and continuing existing work with Anduril on a planned hybrid aircraft.

AtkinsRéalis will provide its expertise in incorporating novel aviation technologies for the U.K. airspace, after it was appointed the first approved assessor of commercial drones by the U.K.’s Civil Aviation Authority.

The team added that Skyport Drone Service will also use their operational experience after delivering several beyond line of sight campaigns for major U.K. clients like the National Health Service and Royal Mail. Skyport participated in the 2024 Royal Navy Heavy Lift Challenge that showed off the efficacy of dual-use aircraft.

“The U.K. has clear ambitions both for innovation and growth, as well as to continue its leadership in advanced air mobility. This partnership brings together Archer’s leading eVTOL technology, Skyports’ infrastructure expertise and AtkinsRéalis’ safety systems in order to support future flight projects, accelerating VTOL and BVLOS developments. It also unlocks opportunities in defence and civil domains, including rapid, low-emission urban transport and surveillance capabilities for defence applications. Introducing Archer to the U.K., alongside experienced local partners, marks a step forward in delivering integrated air mobility,” Rich Drake, Managing Director of Anduril UK, said in a statement.

Anduril also argued that the team is “well-positioned to support the U.K.’s ambition to become a global leader in aviation technologies” by combining the latest advancements in eVTOL development, software-defined systems integration, regulatory experience and operational delivery.

Anduril boasted its software-focused approach to developing products allows them to deploy new systems quickly, citing the experience fielding several dual-use military capabilities like the Ghost autonomous uncrewed air system to the U.K. Ministry of Defense.

In 2024, Anduril and Archer said they were in a separate exclusive partnership to jointly develop a next generation hybrid-propulsion VTOL aircraft for defense applications, seeking to ultimately get a program of record with the U.S. Defense Department. In August 2024 Archer delivered a Midnight eVTOL to the U.S. Air Force for flight testing an evaluation with its AFWERX innovation until.

“This team marks the next phase of our partnership with Anduril. There’s an incredible amount of opportunity here in the U.K. and worldwide to deploy dual-use advanced aircraft and we look forward to making it a reality,” Verity Richardson, Archer’s Head of Business Development for the U.K., said in a statement.

Skyports Drone Services’ director, Alex Brown, said this partnership is a “natural step” for them as the U.K. government advances enabling permanent BVLOS drone operations.

“Our first project on cargo services will lay the groundwork for other applications with significant value, such as surveillance and search and rescue.”

For his part, AtkinsRéalis’ Global Head of Aerospace and Defence David Clark said it will support the team to safely integrate automated uncrewed aircraft into U.K. skies with its experience with novel aircraft designs and emerging regulatory frameworks.

This teaming announcement comes after AtkinsRéalis and Skyports note they are members of the U.K. Advanced Mobility Ecosystem Consortium that has demonstrated the feasibility of an eVTOL ecosystem in the U.K. The consortium is developing technology, infrastructure, major aspects of passenger travel, vehicle operation, airspace navigation, ground charging and local stakeholder engagements.

A version of this story originally appeared in affiliate publication Defense Daily.

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Pentagon Shakeup: Will Civilian DoD Cuts Stall America’s Avionics Edge?

Global Avionics Round-Up from Aircraft Value News (AVN)

The Pentagon. (DOD)

A dramatic shift is underway at the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). The Trump administration’s plan to enact sweeping reductions in the Pentagon’s civilian workforce has sparked concern across the defense and aerospace sectors, particularly within the tightly interwoven world of avionics development and procurement.

These proposed cuts, framed by administration officials as a cost-saving and efficiency-enhancing measure, could have unintended consequences that ripple far beyond the walls of the Pentagon. At stake is not just government payroll, but the future of the United States’ leadership in advanced avionics and its strategic posture in the skies.

At first glance, trimming the civilian workforce may appear to be a reasonable step in managing a sprawling defense bureaucracy. Civilian employees currently number over 750,000 across all defense branches and serve a range of roles, from base operations to logistics coordination and technology development.

However, many of the roles slated for reduction or realignment are deeply embedded in research and development efforts, systems integration, and program management—precisely the areas that are most critical to nurturing the next generation of avionics technology.

Avionics systems have long been one of the most important military advantages for the U.S. From radar and electronic warfare to satellite navigation, communications, and flight control systems, the technological backbone of modern airpower is built not just by defense contractors but in partnership with a vast civilian infrastructure within the DoD.

This workforce ensures that complex multi-billion-dollar programs stay on schedule, within scope, and aligned with national security objectives. Slashing this workforce risks severing key links in the chain of expertise that connects the operational military with its technological suppliers.

One area likely to feel the sting of these cuts is the lifecycle management of major weapons systems. Civilian acquisition professionals help oversee procurement contracts, navigate regulatory and compliance frameworks, and provide continuity and institutional memory in programs that often span decades.

Many avionics projects rely on continuity to avoid the sort of delays, cost overruns, and capability shortfalls that have plagued past programs. By removing seasoned civilians from these positions, the Pentagon risks injecting turbulence into a process that depends on stability.

Moreover, cutting civilian positions while expecting the private sector to pick up the slack could prove shortsighted. Defense contractors already face workforce shortages in highly specialized fields like avionics engineering and cyber defense.

Without the steady guidance and technical oversight provided by career civilian employees, companies may struggle to interpret requirements, deliver on specifications, and field technology that meets evolving threats. More contracting does not always translate into better results.

An Opening for China and Russia

The consequences of reduced investment in avionics oversight could be compounded at a critical moment in global competition. China and Russia are rapidly modernizing their air forces and have made strides in avionics, artificial intelligence, and electronic warfare systems.

The U.S. has long maintained a decisive technological edge, but that advantage depends heavily on sustained investment and institutional expertise. Civilian employees at the DoD are not simply bureaucrats; they’re often engineers, scientists, and procurement specialists with decades of experience. They provide the glue that binds together policy, technology, and warfighting needs.

In practical terms, current and upcoming programs like the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) initiative, future iterations of the F-35, and modernization efforts for legacy platforms could all face setbacks. Delays in avionics development and integration would not only impact timelines and budgets but also create gaps in operational readiness. In the fast-moving realm of modern warfare, even small delays can yield strategic disadvantages.

Some within the administration argue that leaner bureaucracy could push the Pentagon to become more agile and responsive. However, critics contend that there is a difference between streamlining and hollowing out.

Eliminating redundancies is one thing; removing essential expertise and oversight is quite another. The history of defense acquisition is littered with cautionary tales where corners cut today lead to crises tomorrow.

The aviation and defense industries are watching closely. Major players including Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman are bracing for increased uncertainty in program management and they’re poised to recalibrate their planning and budgeting cycles. Smaller firms and startups working on niche avionics innovations could be even more vulnerable, particularly if funding decisions become mired in bureaucratic reshuffling or if oversight lapses lead to procurement freezes.

In sum, the Trump administration’s proposed civilian workforce cuts at the Pentagon could have a chilling effect on avionics development and procurement. While intended to promote efficiency and reduce costs, the move could instead sow confusion, stall progress, and weaken one of America’s most vital technological advantages.

In the high-stakes arena of military aviation, where dominance depends on innovation, the cost of lost expertise may far outweigh any budgetary gains.

This article also appeared in our partner publication, Aircraft Value News.

John Persinos is the editor-in-chief of Aircraft Value News. You can reach him at: jpersinos@acccessintel.com

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Out with the Old? Not So Fast: A Retrofit Boom Is Driving Modern Avionics Upgrades

Global Avionics Round-Up from Aircraft Value News (AVN)

While the aerospace media obsesses over next-gen aircraft and futuristic air taxis, a far more immediate story is quietly unfolding in hangars and Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities around the world.

Avionics retrofitting, the art of upgrading existing aircraft with modern electronic systems, has become a booming global business, driven by sustainability mandates, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency.

Many of the world’s most active aircraft aren’t the latest jets rolling off assembly lines, but aging workhorses with plenty of life left in their airframes. From the Boeing 737 classics to ATR turboprops and regional jets, thousands of aircraft are flying with outdated systems. Rather than replace them, operators are increasingly investing in avionics retrofits that breathe new life into old metal.

One major catalyst is regulatory pressure. Requirements like ADS-B Out in the United States, and similar mandates in Europe and Asia, have forced operators to upgrade transponders and surveillance systems. ADS-B Out enables aircraft to broadcast their position, altitude, speed, and other data to air traffic controllers and other aircraft.

Compliance with these requirements is only the beginning. Airlines and cargo carriers are using the opportunity to install glass cockpits, synthetic vision systems, and modern communications tech.

These upgrades are no longer seen as optional; they’re essential for:

Fuel Efficiency: Modern avionics allow better flight path optimization and engine performance monitoring.
Noise and Emission Compliance: Environmental regulations are pushing older aircraft to adapt or be grounded.
Operational Integration: Enhanced avionics make legacy aircraft more compatible with modern fleets and ATC systems.

The retrofit wave is especially strong in emerging markets. In Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia, where capital constraints limit new aircraft purchases, upgrading existing fleets offers a cost-effective path to modernization. MRO hubs in Singapore, Dubai, and Miami are capitalizing on this demand with turnkey retrofit packages.

Avionics manufacturers are responding with tailored solutions. Companies including Garmin, Honeywell, and Universal Avionics are producing modular retrofit kits that can be installed quickly, with minimal downtime. Some even offer financing packages to ease the upfront burden.

What’s more, this trend aligns with the aviation sector’s growing sustainability push. Extending the operational life of existing aircraft through digital modernization reduces the need for resource-intensive manufacturing and avoids adding to the global aircraft backlog.

The media may remain fixated on what’s new, but smart operators understand the value of what they already own. In a carbon-conscious, cost-sensitive world, retrofits aren’t just a stopgap—they’re a strategy. By leveraging retrofits, aging aircraft can enjoy sustained base values and lease rates.

This article also appeared in our partner publication, Aircraft Value News.

John Persinos is the editor-in-chief of Aircraft Value News. You can reach him at: jpersinos@acccessintel.com

The post Out with the Old? Not So Fast: A Retrofit Boom Is Driving Modern Avionics Upgrades appeared first on Avionics International.

The Quiet Revolution: How Software-Defined Avionics Are Rewiring the Skies

Global Avionics Round-Up from Aircraft Value News (AVN)

In the world of aerospace innovation, buzzwords like artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous flight tend to dominate headlines. But beneath the radar (so to speak), a quieter revolution is reshaping the cockpit: Software-Defined Avionics (SDA) powered by Modular Open Systems Architecture (MOSA).

In April, the Taiwanese manufacturer TSMC introduced the world’s most advanced microchip: the 2 nanometre (2nm) chip. Mass production is expected for the second half of the year. TSMC’s new chip represents a major step forward in performance and efficiency, and it has been accompanied by similar announcements this year from other chipmakers. As I explain below, chip advancements like these are exponentially boosting avionics capabilities.

This shift isn’t just about replacing hardware; it’s about redefining how aircraft electronics evolve, interconnect, and stay relevant across several years of service.

For decades, avionics systems have been tightly coupled with hardware. Navigation systems, flight management computers, and display panels were all built with rigid, closed-loop configurations. Upgrades were cumbersome, expensive, and often involved extensive certification hurdles. SDA flips this script.

At its core, Software-Defined Avionics allows avionics functions to be implemented in software running on generic, modular hardware.

The separation of hardware and software enables updates without having to rip out and replace entire systems. MOSA complements this approach by establishing industry-wide standards for interoperability, making it easier for different manufacturers to develop plug-and-play components.

This approach brings several key benefits:

Agility: Software updates can be deployed rapidly to address bugs, enhance functionality, or respond to new threats.
Cost Efficiency: Operators can extend the life of airframes without needing to overhaul hardware.
Interoperability: Different systems from different vendors can now communicate and integrate seamlessly.

Major aerospace and defense contractors including Raytheon, Collins Aerospace, and Northrop Grumman are investing heavily in SDA frameworks. The U.S. Department of Defense has even mandated MOSA compliance for future platforms, underscoring how strategic this shift is becoming.

In commercial aviation, the implications are just as profound. Airlines operating mixed fleets or legacy aircraft can now streamline training and maintenance while complying with evolving regulatory and operational demands. Rather than replacing entire cockpits, airlines can incrementally upgrade systems to support innovations like predictive maintenance or enhanced flight path optimization.

Critically, SDA supports the aviation industry’s push toward autonomous systems. As machine learning algorithms and sensor fusion become standard, software-defined platforms will provide the flexibility needed to integrate these technologies in real time without re-certifying every piece of hardware.

Ever-Faster Microchips

The advent of faster microchips is fundamentally transforming the landscape of SDA, offering significant enhancements in performance, integration, and flexibility.

As processing power increases, avionics systems are now capable of managing far more complex tasks in real time. This includes processing vast amounts of data from onboard sensors such as radar, Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), weather systems, and navigation tools with minimal latency.

These more powerful chips also make it feasible to run advanced algorithms and AI workloads directly onboard the aircraft—capabilities that previously required offloading to external systems or simplifying due to hardware limitations. As a result, features like real-time sensor fusion for autonomous taxiing or dynamic in-flight rerouting are no longer theoretical; they’re becoming operational realities.

Importantly, the rise of these advanced microchips also reinforces the growing adoption of open avionics architectures, such as the Future Airborne Capability Environment (FACE) and MOSA.

These standards depend on high-performance computing platforms that can handle interoperability without compromising speed or safety. As a result, the vision of truly plug-and-play avionics, where mission-critical apps and software modules can be deployed or updated across multiple aircraft platforms, is coming into focus.

The growing power and sophistication of microchips is the technological backbone driving the software-defined transformation of aviation. By pushing the boundaries of what can be done with software, these chips are making aircraft not only more capable and secure, but also far more adaptable to the evolving demands of 21st-century flight.

And yet, despite its transformative potential, SDA still receives scant media coverage. Perhaps it’s because it lacks the visual drama of flying taxis or the public appeal of net-zero emissions pledges. But for industry insiders, it’s clear: software is no longer just part of avionics. It is the avionics.

This article also appeared in our partner publication, Aircraft Value News.

John Persinos is the editor-in-chief of Aircraft Value News. You can reach him at: jpersinos@acccessintel.com

The post The Quiet Revolution: How Software-Defined Avionics Are Rewiring the Skies appeared first on Avionics International.

Prototype CCA Range to Be Greater Than F-35A and F-22

U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Dave Allvin delivers a keynote address at the 2025 Apex conference at National Harbor, Md. on April 23 (U.S. Air Force Photo)

The range of the U.S. Air Force’s prototype autonomous Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) is to be at least 700 nautical miles–greater than the 590 nautical mile range of the Air Force F-22 Raptor fighter by Lockheed Martin and the 670 nautical mile range of the service’s F-35A Lightning II, also by Lockheed Martin.

A May 13 graphic released by Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Dave Allvin listed the “700 plus” nautical mile range for the two CCA prototypes–the General Atomics YFQ-42A Gambit and Anduril Industries‘ YFQ-44A Fury. The graphic also details other desired features of CCA and the Boeing F-47.

The DoD reconciliation bill would accelerate both with $678 million for CCA and $400 million for F-47.

Allvin’s May 13 graphic lists “operational dates” for F-47 and CCA as “2025-2029.”

In a May 14 email, the Air Force said that the F-47 would fly before the end of the Trump administration.

Beale AFB, Calif.–the home of the U-2 surveillance plane–is to house the Aircraft Readiness Unit for CCAs to allow them to deploy quickly.

The service has said that the two CCA prototypes have begun ground testing of their propulsion, avionics, autonomy and ground control.

In April last year, the Air Force narrowed the CCA Increment 1 field to General Atomics and Anduril Industries. While the service had said it planned to conduct flight tests this summer, now the service has revised that timing to this year.

The service plans on an Increment 1 downselect in fiscal 2026 and the start of Increment 2 development that year.

During the Biden administration, former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall established a planning goal of 1,000 CCAs. Allvin’s Tuesday graphic lists “1,000 plus” as the CCA planning number, while listing CCA speed as “classified” and “stealth” as another desired attribute.

“The CCA program’s ambitions of fielding over 1,000 aircraft on a relatively short timeline will surely stress the industrial base, contracting arrangements, and related aspects of the acquisition enterprise,” according to a new Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (CSBA) report on CCA. “According to some industry experts, establishing the necessary supply chain will require the Air Force to make significant investments, including tapping the commercial market and nontraditional defense firms to buy jet engines, additive manufacturing, thermoplastics, and other inputs.”

“DoD’s longstanding shortcomings at accessing commercial markets, including with software technology, pose a formidable obstacle to CCA development,” the CSBA study said. “It remains to be seen whether the Air Force can erect contracting processes that allow quick-turn improvements to CCAs in response to real-world military crises.”

For the F-47, Allvin’s graphic lists “Mach 2 plus” as the desired speed, 1,000 nautical miles “plus” as the aircraft’s range and “185 plus” as the target number–roughly the same as the number of F-22s fielded.

The Air Force has “a lot of the [F-47] preparations done in terms of planning and thinking through the process of what do they really want,” Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), told the Defense Writers Group on May 13.

“I would be very pleased, but very surprised if they could deliver within two to three years,” he said. “We’re all, I think, in favor of the F-47, but I would be surprised if it rolled out operationally within two years.”

Does Ukraine point to the use of long-range CCAs as a critical component in future conflict?

“This is the new form of warfare, push back the zone that Chinese missiles, for example, can reach so you can bring up your aircraft and your forces close enough where they can be deployed and recovered,” Reed said.

A version of this story originally appeared in affiliate publication Defense Daily.

The post Prototype CCA Range to Be Greater Than F-35A and F-22 appeared first on Avionics International.

Monthly Archives: May 2025

Global Avionics Round-Up from Aircraft Value News (AVN)

Market Overview

Industry Consolidation on the Rise

Market Segmentation Highlights

Regional Analysis

Leading Companies in the Avionics Sector

Global Avionics Round-Up from Aircraft Value News (AVN)

Avionics rises to the challenge…

Global Avionics Round-Up from Aircraft Value News (AVN)

Newark: A Microcosm of National ATC Challenges

A Nationwide Staffing Crisis

Outdated Technology and Infrastructure

Technological Initiatives and Future Prospects

Global Avionics Round-Up from Aircraft Value News (AVN)

An Opening for China and Russia

Global Avionics Round-Up from Aircraft Value News (AVN)

Global Avionics Round-Up from Aircraft Value News (AVN)

Ever-Faster Microchips