Military Airborne Collision Avoidance Systems Market Size

Military Airborne Collision Avoidance Systems (ACAS) Market Overview

Increased global conflicts have led to a growth in investments primarily for military expansion and upgrade of military fleet. The US and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members have deployed thousands of their troops and military aircraft in various conflict regions (e.g., Iraq and Afghanistan). Military aircraft play an integral role in any war for crisis management and transportation of troops and supply across long distances. Apart from this, they are also employed to evacuate the wounded soldiers and provide supplies in a hostile environment. To serve the aforementioned functions, the number of military aircraft has increased drastically and the efforts to maintain the operability for aircraft has also risen.

The rising number of military aircraft has increased the demand for collision avoidance systems to ensure safe operation and safe maneuverability, avoiding accidents. Similarly, the demand for advanced military ACAS for effective defense and surveillance mechanism has also seen a simultaneous increase. The market for military ACAS is thus expected to grow at a steady rate, during the forecast period. Demand from major markets, such as the US and Europe and from the emerging nations in Asia Pacific is expected to drive the market growth.

The modern military aircraft are already equipped with ACAS and the older ones are being upgraded with the same. It is expected that with the ongoing transition from ground-based augmentation system to satellite-based augmentation system, many more military aircraft will gradually be upgraded with new avionics and traffic management equipment. Considering the large number of military aircraft fleet globally, the need for modernization and upgrades will help the growth of the military ACAS market.

Moreover, the military aircraft not only operate in remote and dangerous environments but also abide by the both visual flight rules (VFR) and instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) day and night. This increases the chances of mid-air collision (MAC) that may result in temporary or permanent loss of control, aircraft damage, and pilot injuries. Human-induced MAC due to the lack of response or misjudgment of the pilot have also been reported.

The risk of collision can be reduced by enhancing the situational awareness of the pilot. This function is achieved by ACAS; it helps the pilot ensure that the aircraft is not flown in proximity to other aircraft, thereby avoiding collision. It also assists in maintaining minimum separation distance while flying in a formation and in controlled airspace.

Regional Analysis

The US and Europe defense sector are spending significant amounts on military aircraft modernization. However, the maintenance and operability of existing fleet are more cost-effective than replacing an entire fleet of aircraft. As a result, new and optimized military ACAS are widely being retrofitted to various military aircraft.

The emerging nations such as China and India have increased their defense budgets and are investing in the purchase of new aircraft and advanced military aircraft systems (including military ACAS) to strengthen their defense front. The present scenario, with the U.S. and Europe having a large military ACAS market, is expected to see a shift favoring the Middle East and Asia Pacific region. The economic slowdown in Europe and increased defense spending of the Middle East have led to this change in the market dynamics. Attractive market opportunities are also expected from emerging nations such as India, China, Brazil, and South Africa.

As military aircraft also fly through the civilian airspace, effective procedures to streamline the air traffic are necessary. Regulatory bodies such as EUROCONTROL, ICAO, and respective military organizations have also been working together to further develop the processes and advanced systems for ACAS. They have also set forward standard practices and recommended policies for the installation of collision avoidance system.

Key Players

The global digital glass military ACAS market is highly competitive, and vendors compete by cost, product quality, and reliability. To survive and succeed in an intensely competitive environment, it is crucial for vendors to provide cost-effective and high-quality military ACAS with the latest technology and materials. The primary focus is primarily on the implementation of light-weight materials, more electric technologies, and robust systems.

The major players of the global military ACAS market are Airbus (France), Diehl Stiftung & Co. KG (Germany), Indra (Spain), Honeywell International (U.S.), Leonardo S.p.A. (Italy), L3 Technologies, Inc. (U.S.), Rockwell Collins (U.S.), Saab AB (Sweden), Safran Electronics & Defense (France), and Thales Group (France).

The industry partners from different countries are collaborating on joint projects to lay the foundation for future developments in the field of collision avoidance systems. One such example is the MIDCAS project. It was launched in 2009 by five member countries (Sweden, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain) and involved Saab, Sagem, Thales, and Airbus. It started under the framework of European Defence Agency with a total budget of $55 million. Agencies such as European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), Eurocontrol, and European Organisation for Civil Aviation Equipment (EUROCAE) are also the external contributing partners in the MIDCAS project.

One of the primary aims of this project is to achieve the integration of remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS) in civilian airspace, by developing solutions for UAV mid-air collision avoidance system that is acceptable to manned aviation. The outcome and function of the MIDCAS would be to create situational awareness for the RPAS pilot, develop a reliable traffic avoidance function, and collision avoidance. Such joint collaborations to achieve a common goal and establish a common set of standards is a positive trend.

Intended Audience

• Distributer & Supplier companies


• End Users


• Consultants and Investment bankers


• Government as well as Independent Regulatory Authorities