Missile Composite Materials Market Size, Share, Trend, Forecast, Competitive Analysis, and Growth Opportunity: 2023-2028

Market Insights

Composites are widely used in missiles as these materials are lightweight, strong, and durable, making them ideal for use in missiles, helping missiles to be fast, agile, and able to withstand harsh environments. Composites are used in missiles for a variety of reasons, including high strength, durability, lightweight, resistance to extreme temperatures, and corrosion resistance.

Due to the pandemic, the missile composite materials market witnessed a decline for two consecutive years (2020 and 2021). However, the missile composite materials market is likely to grow at a promising CAGR of 9.6% over the next five years to reach an annual market size of US$ 157 Million in 2028. Major factors, such as increasing usage of composites in missiles, increasing procurement of missiles propelled by the rising defense budget, and an upgrade of missiles with the adoption of new technologies, are expected to propel the growth of the missile composite materials market during the forecast period.

Recent Market JVs and Acquisitions:

• Major players are acquiring other key players in order to expand geographically and gain capabilities in a highly niche market
• In 2018, Toray Industries, Inc. acquired Tencate Advanced Composites from Koninklijke Ten Cate B.V
• In 2017, Hexcel Corporation acquired Structil SA, a French company that produces & supplies high-performance composites

Based on the material type, the missile composite materials market is segmented into carbon composite materials, glass composite materials, aramid composite materials, and ceramic composite materials. Carbon composite and glass composites are predominantly used in missiles. Most of the composite materials in missiles go in the form of prepreg. Carbon composites are expected to remain the most dominant material type in the market during the forecast period. Carbon composites offer high stiffness, high strength-to-weight ratio, lightweight, high-temperature tolerance, low thermal expansion, and withstand high levels of stress and strain, making them undoubtedly one of the best-performing composite materials for missiles. All these factors are leading to the increasing use of carbon composites for manufacturing frames, fins, warheads, and canisters.

Based on the missile type, the market is segmented into ballistic missiles and cruise missiles. Ballistic missile is likely to hold the major share of the market during the forecast period. Ballistic missiles are more suited for long-distance coverage and have precision-striking capabilities. Increasing the use of composites will improve their flight range and payload capabilities. For instance, DRDO was able to increase the range of the Agni-5 missile beyond 7,000 km by replacing steel with composites.

In terms of application type, the market is segmented into fuselage, composite tank, radome, and others. Fuselage is likely to maintain its unconquerable lead in the market during the forecast period and is likely to witness the highest CAGR of 10.3% during 2023-2028. Composites are used to create strong, lightweight structural components, such as frames, heat shields, fins, and control surfaces, that can withstand the high stresses and temperatures during missile flight. Some of the missiles that use carbon composites for fuselage are AGM-129 ACM (Advanced Cruise Missile), AIM-9X Sidewinder, AGM-88 HARM (High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile), RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile, and Astra BVRAAM.

In terms of regions, North America is expected to remain the largest market for missile composite materials during the forecast period. The USA has been the top country in terms of military expenditure, making up ~40% of the world’s military expenditure for the last two decades. In addition to that, the presence of major missile manufacturers, such as Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, and General Dynamics, in North America makes the region a hot spot for missile composite materials. Over the years, multiple contracts have been signed between US DOD, tier players, and OEMs for fabricating composite parts for the different missile systems. For instance, In 2020, GKN Aerospace signed a deal with Raytheon Technologies Corp. for supplying 95 Mk30 composite missile canisters for the Evolved SeaSparrow Missile.

Asia-Pacific and Europe are also likely to create sizeable opportunities in the coming five years, driven by increasing defense budget, rising geopolitical conflicts, increasing efforts towards improving the performance of previous generation missiles, and a surge in investment towards the development of new and advanced missile systems such as a hypersonic missile.

Key Players

The market is highly consolidated with a handful of players securing a lion’s share. Most of the major players compete in some of the governing factors including price, product offerings, regional presence, etc. The following are the key players in the missile composite materials market.

• Hexcel Corporation
• Solvay S.A
• Toray Industries, Inc
• Gurit
• Owens Corning
• Mitsubishi Chemical Group Corporation
• DuPont de Nemours, Inc
• SGL Carbon SE

Research Methodology

This strategic assessment report provides a comprehensive analysis that reflects today’s missile composite materials market realities and future market possibilities for the forecast period. The report segments and analyzes the market in the most detailed manner in order to provide a panoramic view of the market. The vital data/information provided in the report can play a crucial role for the market participants as well as investors in the identification of the low-hanging fruits available in the market as well as to formulate the growth strategies to expedite their growth process.

This report offers high-quality insights and is the outcome of a detailed research methodology comprising extensive secondary research, rigorous primary interviews with industry stakeholders, and validation and triangulation with the publisher's internal database and statistical tools. More than 1,000 authenticated secondary sources, such as company annual reports, fact books, press releases, journals, investor presentations, white papers, patents, and articles, have been leveraged to gather the data. The publisher conducted more than 10 detailed primary interviews with the market players across the value chain in all four regions and industry experts to obtain both qualitative and quantitative insights.

Report Features

This report provides market intelligence in the most comprehensive way. The report structure has been kept such that it offers maximum business value. It provides critical insights into the market dynamics and will enable strategic decision-making for the existing market players as well as those willing to enter the market. The following are the key features of the report:

• Market structure: Overview, industry life cycle analysis, supply chain analysis
• Market environment analysis: Growth drivers and constraints, Porter’s five forces analysis, SWOT analysis
• Market trend and forecast analysis
• Market segment trend and forecast
• Competitive landscape and dynamics: Market share, Product portfolio, New Product Launches, etc
• COVID-19 impact and its recovery curve
• Attractive market segments and associated growth opportunities
• Emerging trends
• Strategic growth opportunities for the existing and new players
• Key success factors
• The missile composite materials market is segmented into the following categories

Missile Composite Materials Market, by Material Type

• Carbon Composites (Trend and Forecast)
• Glass Composites (Trend and Forecast)
• Aramid Composites (Trend and Forecast)
• Ceramic Composites (Trend and Forecast)

Missile Composite Materials Market, by Missile Type

• Ballistic Missiles (Trend and Forecast)
• Cruise Missiles (Trend and Forecast)

Missile Composite Materials Market, by Range Type

• Short-Range Missiles (Trend and Forecast)
• Medium-Range Missiles (Trend and Forecast)
• Long-Range Missiles (Trend and Forecast)

Missile Composite Materials Market, by Application Type

• Fuselage (Trend and Forecast)
• Composite Tanks (Trend and Forecast)
• Radome (Trend and Forecast)
• Others (Trend and Forecast)

Missile Composite Materials Market, by Region

• North America (Trend and Forecast)
• Europe (Trend and Forecast)
• Asia-Pacific (Trend and Forecast)
• Rest of the World (Trend and Forecast)