Commercial aviation players face growing pressures as demand rebounds yet supply chain bottlenecks and tariff-driven cost escalations create delivery backlogs and margin challenges. Meanwhile, traditional defense contractors must balance increasing government budgets with the urgent need to innovate—embracing affordable mass, digital engineering, advanced manufacturing, and AI-enabled defense systems—to remain competitive against agile startups and new global defense tech ecosystems.

For enterprises straddling both sectors, the mandate is clear: reimagine strategy, accelerate innovation, and embed resilience across the organization. Success will hinge on operational excellence, financial discipline, and the ability to leverage emerging technologies while managing geopolitical risks. The winners in this environment will not simply respond to change—they will define the next generation of aerospace and defense leadership by shaping ecosystems, strengthening alliances, and delivering enduring value to governments, investors, and society at large.