Combat System Integration Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, 2021-2031

The Global Combat System Integration Market is projected to experience significant growth, expanding from USD 25.71 Billion in 2025 to USD 46.27 Billion by 2031, reflecting a CAGR of 10.29%. This market involves the technological convergence of various weaponry, sensors, communication networks, and command and control modules into a unified operational framework for military platforms. The primary drivers behind this growth include the critical need for interoperability among allied forces to conduct joint missions effectively and the strategic necessity of modernizing aging fleets with network-centric warfare capabilities. Additionally, rising geopolitical tensions are heightening the demand for integrated systems that support rapid decision-making and accurate threat neutralization.

However, a major obstacle impeding market expansion is the technical complexity and substantial financial cost involved in retrofitting legacy analog platforms to compatible modern open-architecture standards. These integration barriers frequently lead to prolonged project timelines and significant budget overruns, thereby complicating procurement cycles. The sector's massive economic scale is highlighted by the 'Aerospace Industries Association', which reported in '2025' that 'the United States aerospace and defense industry generated over $995 billion in total business activity during 2024'.

Market Drivers

Increasing defense budgets and capital allocation for military modernization are fundamentally transforming the Global Combat System Integration Market, fueled by severe geopolitical instability. Nations are prioritizing the acquisition of integrated combat suites to maintain readiness against near-peer adversaries, directing funds toward replacing isolated legacy platforms with interconnected systems suitable for joint-domain operations. This surge is exemplified by NATO's announcement during the 'Pre-Ministerial Press Conference' in February 2024, which projected that European allies would invest a combined total of $380 billion in defense throughout 2024, achieving the 2% GDP spending target for the first time and underscoring the urgency of addressing security gaps through advanced integration.

Simultaneously, the rapid progression and incorporation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) act as vital technological enablers, allowing combat systems to process immense amounts of sensor data for real-time decision-making. As warfare evolves to become more data-centric, integrators are embedding AI algorithms within command architectures to support autonomous threat detection and faster response times. According to the U.S. Department of Defense's 'Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Request' from March 2024, $1.8 billion was specifically allocated for artificial intelligence capabilities to accelerate their adoption across the joint force. This demand is driving significant industrial activity, as evidenced by Thales Group, which reported a 127% organic increase in order intake for its Defence & Security segment in the first quarter of 2024, attributed to major contracts for integrated air surveillance and combat platforms.

Market Challenges

The market's expansion is substantially hindered by the high financial costs and technical complexities required to retrofit legacy analog platforms for compatibility with modern open-architecture standards. Integrating advanced digital combat systems into aging hardware necessitates extensive re-engineering, which inevitably inflates expenses and prolongs development timelines. These integration challenges often compel defense departments to either delay essential modernization programs or scale back upgrade ambitions to stay within budget constraints, consequently slowing the adoption of unified combat architectures and limiting revenue opportunities for system integrators.

This operational friction is evident in recent industry evaluations concerning the challenges of fulfilling defense contracts. According to the 'National Defense Industrial Association' in '2025', '64 percent of private sector respondents identified complex and protracted procurement processes as the most pressing issue facing the defense industrial base'. This statistic underscores how the cycle of intricate integration requirements and subsequent bureaucratic delays impedes market momentum. By complicating the acquisition process, these barriers obstruct the rapid deployment of necessary interoperable capabilities, thereby restricting the overall growth trajectory of the Global Combat System Integration Market.

Market Trends

A pivotal trend within the Global Combat System Integration Market is the adoption of the Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA), which fundamentally alters procurement strategies by moving away from proprietary, vendor-locked architectures. This methodology mandates the utilization of standardized, non-proprietary interfaces and data standards, such as SOSA and FACE, allowing defense departments to swiftly introduce new technologies and ensure interoperability across various platforms. By separating hardware from software, MOSA facilitates continuous incremental upgrades, thereby drastically lowering the lifecycle costs and integration times that have traditionally burdened complex defense programs. The importance of this shift is highlighted by major contract awards, such as the one announced by Lockheed Martin in a December 2025 'News Releases' update, where the company secured a contract exceeding $1 billion to expand the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture, a program built on open standards to guarantee seamless connectivity across the joint force.

In parallel, the implementation of Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) is reshaping operational concepts by driving the integration of autonomous "loyal wingman" drones with manned combat platforms. This trend necessitates sophisticated combat management systems that can unify the control of unmanned assets with the situational awareness of piloted aircraft, effectively extending sensor range and weapons payload without jeopardizing personnel. As integrators develop these advanced teaming capabilities, the market is experiencing significant financial activity related to the demand for autonomous systems. This growth is illustrated by Elbit Systems, which reported in its 'Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Results' from March 2025 that the company achieved annual revenues of $6.8 billion, a milestone largely driven by a 9% rise in aerospace sales resulting from increased demand for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and related teaming technologies.

Key Players Profiled in the Combat System Integration Market

• Lockheed Martin Corporation
• Leonardo S.p.A.
• BAE Systems PLC
• QinetiQ Limited
• Saab AB
• Thales S.A.
• ICI Services Corporation
• Kongsberg Gruppen ASA
• Elbit Systems Ltd.
• Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL)

Report Scope

In this report, the Global Combat System Integration Market has been segmented into the following categories:

Combat System Integration Market, by Application:

• Land Based
• Naval
• Airborne

Combat System Integration Market, by Platform:

• Large Combat Ships
• Medium Combat Ships
• Small Combat Ships
• Submarines
• Fighter Aircraft
• Combat Helicopters
• Others

Combat System Integration Market, by Region:

• North America
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• South America
• Middle East & Africa

Competitive Landscape

Company Profiles: Detailed analysis of the major companies present in the Global Combat System Integration Market.

Available Customization

The analyst offers customization according to your specific needs. The following customization options are available for the report:

• Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players (up to five).

This product will be delivered within 1-3 business days.