Global Defense Industry Outlook Market - 2025

The global military expenditure is estimated to be USD 2,563.1 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 2,688.7 billion in 2025 at a growth rate of 4.9% from 2023 to 2024. The Global Defense Outlook 2025 provides an in-depth examination of significant trends and recent advancements in the defense sector. It anticipates potential future developments and associated opportunities in 2025 and beyond. This study is designed to empower participants in the defense industry to make strategic decisions, with a particular focus on key forthcoming opportunities.

Utilizing meticulously curated datasets within the Aerospace and Defense practice, the analysis incorporates insights from both the research team and industry experts. In addition to drawing on major findings from published syndicate studies, this outlook study incorporates firsthand observations from recent, thorough investigations. The analysis encompasses crucial programs and contracts, along with an assessment of the impact of ongoing and recent conflicts. Persistent threat perceptions and emerging defense risks are also addressed to validate future predictions.

Global macroeconomic trends are scrutinized to compare economic indicators and their correlation with defense spending, especially capital expenditure. Special attention is given to the competitive landscape of the defense industry, highlighting new product launches and significant contract wins to substantiate the developments and future opportunities under consideration.

The analysis goes on to evaluate the performance of the global defense industry in 2024 and projects the same for 2025. The predictive analysis for 2025 also outlines the expected key trends in the defense industry. This particular segment is crafted to offer a comprehensive overview of emerging opportunities for defense industry participants, particularly those targeted for customized, in-depth investigations by the Aerospace & Defense practice.

Scope:

BASE YEAR 2024

STUDY PERIOD 2023―2025

FORECAST YEAR 2025

GEOGRAPHICAL

SCOPE North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East

KEY CONCEPTS Global military expenditure analysis

Fleet size analysis (land, airborne, and naval)

Autonomous platforms

Trending technologies

Digital & innovative startups thriving in the defense sector

Ai startups attracting investments from defense OEMS

Major acquisitions in the defense sector

Evolution of space as a critical warfighting domain

Drones reshaping battlefield

Growing focus on multidomain operations

Growing adoption of unmanned underwater vehicles in defense

Naval asset sustainment

Predictive maintenance and digital twin technologies

Geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East

KEY FOCUS AREAS Technological advancements and opportunities in the defense industry

Methodology:

STUDY OBJECTIVES To understand the key technologies and geo-political trends impacting the defense industry in 2025

To estimate the defense industry performance at the global level, key regions, and sector/segment

To identify growth opportunities and provide recommendations for market participants to tap key opportunities

METHODOLOGY SECONDARY RESEARCH

Historical data in MarketsandMarkets (MnM) reports and KnowledgeStore

Analysis of defense budget allocation and relevant data collected from various defense associations and publications (UN Comtrade, Comptroller, and others) as well as third-party databases (SIPRI, Small Arms Survey, and others) across regions

Key trends, market drivers, and restraints from various industry articles, reports, and journals

DISCUSSIONS WITH EXPERTS

Opinions of key experts about market drivers and restraints, as well as industry performance

MARKETSANDMARKETS (MNM) ANALYSIS

Existing domain knowledge to analyze and forecast various defense markets

WHO SHOULD BE INTERESTED IN THE REPORT Industry stakeholders (OEMs, Tier I and Tier II suppliers, service providers, and others) with business interests in Defense Outlook for 2025

The report boasts of insights and market developments for leadership and teams aligned with strategy, product, R&D, sales, and marketing


  • EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
    • KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN 2024
    • KEY PREDICTIONS FOR 2025
  • RESEARCH SCOPE, OBJECTIVES, AND METHODOLOGY
    • STUDY SCOPE
    • STUDY OBJECTIVES AND METHODOLOGY
  • GLOBAL MACROECONOMIC ANALYSIS
    • MACROECONOMIC INDICATORS OF TOP 10 COUNTRIES IN TERMS OF REAL GDP GROWTH RATE
    • GLOBAL MACROECONOMIC INDICATORS: GLOBAL GDP AND DEFENSE EXPENDITURE AS A SHARE OF GDP
    • GLOBAL AND COUNTRY-LEVEL MACROECONOMIC INDICATORS: DEFENSE EXPENDITURE, 2023-2025
    • GLOBAL AND COUNTRY-LEVEL MACROECONOMIC INDICATORS: SHARE OF GLOBAL ARMS IMPORTS AND EXPORTS
  • GLOBAL DEFENSE INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE 2023 VS. 2024
    • GLOBAL DEFENSE INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE: GLOBAL MILITARY EXPENDITURE, 2023 VS. 2024
    • GLOBAL DEFENSE INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE: PLATFORM-WISE BUDGET ALLOCATION, 2023 VS. 2024
    • GLOBAL DEFENSE INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE: LAND COMBAT VEHICLES, 2023 VS. 2024
    • GLOBAL DEFENSE INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE: GLOBAL COMBAT AIRCRAFT VS. HELICOPTERS VS. TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT, 2023 VS. 2024
    • GLOBAL DEFENSE INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE: GLOBAL COMBAT AIRCRAFT, 2023 VS. 2024
    • GLOBAL DEFENSE INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE: GLOBAL COMBAT HELICOPTERS, 2023 VS. 2024
    • GLOBAL DEFENSE INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE: GLOBAL TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT, 2023 VS. 2024
    • GLOBAL DEFENSE INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE: GLOBAL COMBAT VESSELS, 2023 VS. 2024
  • KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN GLOBAL DEFENSE INDUSTRY, 2024
    • KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN 2024: DIGITAL & INNOVATIVE STARTUPS THRIVING IN THE DEFENSE SECTOR
    • KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN 2024: AI STARTUPS ATTRACTING INVESTMENTS FROM DEFENSE OEMS
    • KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN 2024: MAJOR ACQUISITIONS IN THE DEFENSE SECTOR
    • KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN 2024: EVOLUTION OF SPACE AS A CRITICAL WARFIGHTING DOMAIN
    • KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN 2024: DRONES RESHAPING BATTLEFIELD
    • KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN 2024: GROWING FOCUS ON MULTIDOMAIN OPERATIONS
    • KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN 2024: UNMANNED UNDERWATER VEHICLES (UUVS) IN DEFENSE
    • KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN 2024: NAVAL ASSET SUSTAINMENT
    • KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN 2024: PREDICTIVE MAINTENANCE & DIGITAL TWIN IN DEFENSE
    • KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN 2024: GEOPOLITICAL CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLE EAST
    • KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN 2024: DEFENSE STOCK PRICES
  • GLOBAL DEFENSE INDUSTRY COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
    • GLOBAL DEFENSE INDUSTRY OUTLOOK: COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
  • GLOBAL DEFENSE INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE 2024 VS. 2025
    • GLOBAL DEFENSE INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE: GLOBAL MILITARY EXPENDITURE, 2024 VS. 2025
    • GLOBAL DEFENSE INDUSTRY IN 2024: GLOBAL MILITARY EXPENDITURE, 2024 VS. 2025
    • GLOBAL DEFENSE INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE: PLATFORM-WISE BUDGET ALLOCATION, 2024 VS. 2025
    • GLOBAL DEFENSE INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE: LAND COMBAT VEHICLES, 2024 VS. 2025
    • GLOBAL DEFENSE INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE: GLOBAL COMBAT AIRCRAFT VS. HELICOPTERS VS. TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT, 2024 VS. 2025
    • GLOBAL DEFENSE INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE: GLOBAL COMBAT VESSELS, 2024 VS. 2025
  • KEY TRENDS IN DEFENSE INDUSTRY, 2025
    • KEY TRENDS IN 2025: GROWING ADOPTION OF AUTONOMOUS COUNTER-DRONE SYSTEMS
    • KEY TRENDS IN 2025: HYPERSONIC TECHNOLOGIES IN DEFENSE
    • KEY TRENDS IN 2025: HYPERSONIC INTERCEPTORS TO BE DEVELOPED FOR MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEMS
    • KEY TRENDS IN 2025: MULTIPLE DEFENSE FORCES TO INVEST IN ENHANCED SPACE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS
    • KEY TRENDS IN 2025: DEPLOYMENT OF AR & VR TECHNOLOGIES IN DEFENSE
    • KEY TRENDS IN 2025: GROWING ADOPTION OF LASER-BASED SPACE COMMUNICATION IN DEFENSE
    • KEY TRENDS IN 2025: WEAPONIZATION OF ROBOTS IN DEFENSE
    • KEY TRENDS IN 2025: CYBERSECURITY FOR DEFENSE
    • KEY TRENDS IN 2025: NET ZERO INITIATIVES IN DEFENSE
    • KEY TRENDS IN 2025: FUTURE OF NATO UNDER TRUMP: IMPLICATIONS FOR MEMBER BUDGETS
    • KEY TRENDS IN 2025: ELON MUSK'S ROLE IN DOGE ON DEFENSE SPENDING
  • KEY GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES AND RECOMMENDATIONS
    • GLOBAL DEFENSE INDUSTRY IN 2025: AUTONOMOUS COUNTER-DRONE SYSTEMS
    • GLOBAL DEFENSE INDUSTRY IN 2025: HYPERSONIC TECHNOLOGIES IN DEFENSE
    • GLOBAL DEFENSE INDUSTRY IN 2025: HYPERSONIC INTERCEPTORS FOR MISSILE DEFENSE
    • GLOBAL DEFENSE INDUSTRY IN 2025: ENHANCED SPACE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS CAPABILITIES
    • GLOBAL DEFENSE INDUSTRY IN 2025: DEPLOYMENT OF AR & VR TECHNOLOGIES IN DEFENSE
    • GLOBAL DEFENSE INDUSTRY IN 2025: LASER-BASED SPACE COMMUNICATION
    • GLOBAL DEFENSE INDUSTRY IN 2025: WEAPONIZED ROBOTS
    • GLOBAL DEFENSE INDUSTRY IN 2025: CYBERSECURITY
    • GLOBAL DEFENSE INDUSTRY IN 2025: NET ZERO INITIATIVES IN DEFENSE
  • KEY TAKEAWAYS
  • APPENDIX
    • LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
  • TOP 15 GLOBAL TRENDS FOR 2025
    • TRUMPONOMICS 2.0 AND INCREASED TRADE FRICTION
    • ECONOMIC GROWTH SLOWS WITH SECTORAL HEADWINDS AND POLITICAL UNCERTAINTY AMID GLOBAL TENSIONS
    • MUSKONOMICS
    • QUANTUM COMPUTING ACCELERATES AND PAVES THE WAY FOR POST-QUANTUM CRYPTOGRAPHY
    • THE FUTURE OF ENERGY
    • CLOUD AND DATA CENTER GROWTH IS DRIVING THE NEED FOR SUSTAINABLE INITIATIVES, INCLUDING CARBON CAPTURE, UTILIZATION, AND STORAGE DEMAND
    • ROBOTAXIS AND AIR TAXIS WILL TAKE OFF IN 2025
    • BIOTECH IS REVOLUTIONIZING HEALTHCARE AND AGRICULTURE AND PRECISION FERMENTATION IS TRANSFORMING THE FOOD INDUSTRY
    • IN 2025, SPATIAL COMPUTING WILL FURTHER ENHANCE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE, WHEREAS MALICIOUS SOCIAL MEDIA BOTS WILL CONTINUE TO HAUNT SOCIAL MEDIA INTERACTIONS
    • UNIVERSE OF MEGA TRENDS THAT MNM TRACKS

Download our eBook: How to Succeed Using Market Research

Learn how to effectively navigate the market research process to help guide your organization on the journey to success.

Download eBook
Cookie Settings