Airborne Warning And Control Systems Market Global Report 2026

The airborne warning and control systems market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $8.92 billion in 2025 to $9.69 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.5%. The growth during the historic period was driven by growing defense modernization programs, rising military aircraft procurement, increasing geopolitical conflicts, expansion of integrated air defense networks, and growing investments in airborne surveillance capabilities.

The airborne warning and control systems market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $13.24 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.1%. The growth during the forecast period is expected to be driven by increasing demand for next-generation command and control systems, rising procurement of advanced AWACS platforms, growing investments in border and maritime surveillance, expanding deployment of network-centric defense operations, and increasing defense spending on airborne intelligence systems. Major trends during the forecast period include increasing adoption of long-range airborne surveillance systems, growing demand for multi-domain battle management platforms, rising integration of advanced multi-sensor detection systems, expansion of high-endurance airborne surveillance missions, and increasing development of enhanced electronic warfare capabilities.

The rising geopolitical tensions are expected to propel the growth of the airborne warning and control systems market going forward. Geopolitical tensions refer to escalating political, military, or economic conflicts between countries or regions that increase security risks and uncertainty in international relations. The rise in geopolitical tensions is being driven by increasing territorial disputes, as countries compete over borders, strategic regions, and natural resources, resulting in heightened military activities and strained international relations. Airborne warning and control systems help address geopolitical tensions by providing real-time surveillance, early threat detection, and enhanced situational awareness, enabling countries to monitor disputed regions, strengthen defense preparedness, and minimize the risk of strategic surprises and conflicts. For instance, in January 2025, according to Euronews SA, a France-based television network, in 2024, global conflicts intensified, with political violence increasing by 25% compared to 2023, affecting one in eight people and resulting in approximately 223,000 deaths, alongside a 37% increase in overall fatalities. Therefore, the rising geopolitical tensions are driving the growth of the airborne warning and control systems market.

Major companies operating in the airborne warning and control systems market are concentrating on developing advanced solutions, such as unmanned airborne early warning systems, to improve persistent surveillance, strengthen situational awareness, and enhance mission flexibility in modern defense operations. Unmanned airborne early warning systems are advanced surveillance platforms that integrate radar and sensor technologies with unmanned aerial vehicles to continuously detect, track, and monitor aerial and surface threats, providing a more flexible and cost-effective alternative to conventional manned airborne warning and control aircraft while supporting longer operational endurance and reduced crew requirements. For instance, in June 2025, Saab AB, a Sweden-based aerospace and defense company, and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., a US-based technology company, announced a strategic collaboration to develop an unmanned airborne early warning solution based on the MQ-9B unmanned aerial system. The solution combines Saab AB’s airborne early warning sensors with the MQ-9B platform to provide persistent surveillance and continuous monitoring of designated operational areas. In addition, the system is designed to support both stand-alone operations and manned-unmanned teaming concepts, enabling applications such as naval surveillance and expanded airborne early warning capabilities while complementing existing manned AEW&C platforms, including Global Eye.

In July 2023, L3Harris Technologies Inc., a US-based aerospace and defense technology company, entered into a partnership with ELTA Systems Ltd. to expand the development of Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) solutions. Through this partnership, L3Harris Technologies Inc. and ELTA Systems Ltd. aim to combine aircraft missionization expertise with advanced conformal airborne early warning radar technologies to deliver next-generation, U.S.- and NATO-interoperable airborne surveillance and command-and-control capabilities for allied defense markets. ELTA Systems Ltd. is an Israel-based company specializing in airborne early warning systems, radar technologies, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) solutions.

Major companies operating in the airborne warning and control systems market are Airbus Defence and Space, ASELSAN Elektronik Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş., Aviation Industry Corporation of China Ltd., BAE Systems, Bharat Electronics Limited, Elbit Systems Ltd., Embraer Defesa And Segurança S.A., General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., HENSOLDT AG, Indra Sistemas S.A., Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd., Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd., Leonardo S.p.A., Lockheed Martin Corporation, L3Harris Technologies Inc., Mercury Systems Inc., Northrop Grumman Corporation, RTX Corporation, Saab AB, Thales Group, Turkish Aerospace Industries Inc., United Aircraft Corporation PJSC.

North America was the dominating region in the airborne warning and control systems market in 2025. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the rapidly growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the airborne warning and control systems market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa.

The countries covered in the airborne warning and control systems market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

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