3. WEB

What is the defense industry?

A cross-sector industry producing military goods and services, including aircraft, vehicles, weapons, electronics, telecommunications and ammunition.

What are military goods?

Products developed and produced specifically for military use.

What are dual-use products?

Products or technologies that can be used for both civilian and military purposes.

What is a weapon system?

A combination of weapons and related equipment, materials, services, personnel and delivery or deployment means.

What is an autonomous weapon system?

A weapon system that can select and attack targets without human intervention.

What happened to defense industry after the Cold War?

Spending and capacity decreased, firms consolidated, buy-local policies grew and advanced production became dominated by the USA and Western Europe.

How did the Ukraine war affect the defense industry?

It increased demand, drained arsenals, forced rearmament and created pressure to expand production capacity.

What are the 2026 A&D industry trends?

AI/digital tech, MRO, fragile supply chains, faster procurement, AI workforce transformation and sustainability/emissions contradictions.

Why is MRO important in defense?

Maintenance, repair and overhaul keep old fleets mission-capable and create stable revenue streams.

Why is procurement a challenge in defense?

Defense procurement is slow, regulated, political and complex, while modern warfare requires speed and innovation.

Why are military supply chains different from civilian supply chains?

They involve national security, classified components, export controls, long life cycles and readiness requirements.

What is the main goal of a civilian supply chain?

Efficiency, cost reduction and customer delivery.

What is the main goal of a military supply chain?

Readiness, resilience, security and strategic autonomy.

What are major risks in military supply chains?

Counterfeit parts, subverted components, geopolitical disruption, dependency on hostile suppliers and lack of spare parts.

Why are rare materials important for military supply chains?

Advanced weapons, missiles, aircraft, electronics and sensors depend on critical minerals and rare earths.

Why is stockpiling important in defense?

War consumes ammunition and spare parts quickly, and production cannot always be scaled immediately.