Aerospace & Defense

Creating and accelerating critical advantages through cutting-edge strategy and operations

The aerospace and defense (A&D) industry is facing numerous challenges linked to an unforeseen pandemic, rapidly evolving technologies, and vulnerable supply chains. We help our clients push the boundaries in air and space and safeguard livelihoods through capabilities, technologies, and talent.

Our approach combines a deep understanding of industry dynamics with advanced analytics and an unparalleled network of experts. We work with clients to build internal capabilities, adopt digital and analytics tools, and transform work processes to improve their business in substantial, sustainable ways.

FEATURED EVENTS

Farnborough International Airshow

McKinsey is proud to partner with Farnborough International at the 2024 Farnborough International Airshow to bring industry experts together addressing topics related to aviation, space, and defence.

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McKinsey at the Munich Security Conference

McKinsey serves as an institutional partner and one of several contributors to the Munich Security Conference, and provides data and production support to the annual Munich Security Report.

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How We Help Clients

Aftermarket & Services

Helping clients capture the aftermarket potential—the largest source of untapped value in aerospace and defense—by assessing the installed base opportunity, improving pricing, and optimizing operations.

Digital & Analytics

Helping clients tackle digital challenges and build sustainable, scalable solutions tailored to the A&D industry.

M&A

Working in partnership with aerospace and defense clients to develop unique strategies for evaluating potential targets, capturing value, and navigating the complex integration process.

Marketing & Sales

Helping A&D companies develop effective strategies for winning contracts with critical customers, contributing to stronger growth.

Next-Generation Productivity

Helping clients build the tech-enabled capabilities required to identify and capture a step change in profitability.

Strategy & Corporate Finance

Helping aerospace and defense companies achieve their strategic goals in a complex, competitive, and evolving landscape.

Talent & Capability Building

Helping A&D organizations create the right culture for their people, design the right structure, and attract and retain the right talent.

Transformation

Changing trajectories through holistic interventions in performance, capabilities, and health.

Sectors we serve

Commercial aerospace

Our expertise spans all major aircraft equipment categories, including engines, aerostructures, avionics, landing gears, and interiors. We also work in partnership with McKinsey’s Center for Future Mobility to develop perspectives on trends shaping aviation, such as advanced air mobility solutions and future sustainable propulsion technologies.

Defense

Our clients are active across the spectrum of defense domains. Through our work, we have built expertise related to all major categories of platforms and associated equipment, including military aerospace, land systems, naval systems, space-based systems, as well as sensors and electronics. We also work with defense ministries, national security, and public-safety organizations to address their most pressing challenges.

Space

Over many years we have built strong relationships with companies across the space value chain, including launch providers, satellite builders, equipment providers, services companies, investors, and public sector institutions.

Business and general aviation

We help companies in the business and general aviation market strive for operational improvement. We also provide assistance on key business challenges, such as accessing new customer segments, innovating business models, transforming product development, and improving customer support services.

McKinsey Maritime

This page describes McKinsey’s capabilities in helping shipyards and maritime industry clients unlock operational performance, attract and develop a skilled labor force, create supply chain resiliency, and implement digital capabilities

Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO)

McKinsey’s capabilities in helping airlines and independent service providers optimize their aircraft MRO operations, OEMs and their suppliers develop and implement aftermarket services strategies, and private equity and investor groups evaluate M&A opportunities in the MRO sector.

Security and cybersecurity

We help incumbents and new entrants in the physical security and cybersecurity markets craft strategies to succeed. As the aerospace and defense industry relies on more connectivity technologies today, McKinsey Digital helps clients find solutions to secure and protect the industry’s technology backbone, mission-critical to the development, manufacture, operation, and maintenance of aerospace and defense equipment.

Our People

Featured Blog

Future Air Mobility blog

Perspectives and analyses on urban air mobility, drones, electric aviation, and more

Featured Publication

An illustration of a planet using delicate line work. Several rings encircle the planet, and a retinue of moons align in a row to dominate the center of the image.

Report

Space: The $1.8 trillion opportunity for global economic growth

April 8, 2024 -

As the space economy expands, it could create value for multiple industries and solve many of the world’s most pressing challenges.

Featured Insights

Tufan Erginbilgiç is depicted in a navy blue suit jacket and light blue button-down, smiling against a bright, blurred office setting.

Interview

Reinventing Rolls-Royce: A conversation with CEO Tufan Erginbilgiç

October 25, 2024 -

Since Tufan Erginbilgiç took the helm of the iconic brand, its share price has surged. Profits have more than doubled. How he did it is a case study in the art of corporate transformation.

A model of a jet engine inside a factory

Article

Navigating the gray-to-green transition in aerospace and defense

March 16, 2023 -

The aerospace and defense industry is transitioning from an older to younger workforce, but it faces intense competition for talent. It needs a radical response.