Commercial and military players face a set of increasingly shared challenges that require an agile response. The industry has consolidated. New programs are scarcer. Cost and revenue pressures are increasing. In short:

• The market demands availability. The rise of low-cost carriers and the inexorable deregulation of international routes make aircraft availability and utilization key inputs into profitability in commercial aviation. Similarly, the focus of military procurement has shifted from buying parts to buying what the warfighter needs: an asset that is available and leads to a successful mission the first time, every time.
  
  
• The world is expanding—and shrinking. Globalization brings new opportunities for selling and partnering, yet the financial and budgetary burdens of producing and purchasing aerospace and defense products limits the number of new programs that can be undertaken. A successful program requires a tightly knit partnership in which knowledge, material and risk are managed across borders.
  
  
• The program is dead. Long live the program. While the number of new programs has decreased, the planned lifespan of programs has increased. Even as they design new programs with longer operational lives in mind, aerospace and defense companies are introducing services to support both their new and existing products for years to come. Defense programs such as performance based logistics and availability contracting only serve to reinforce this trend.
  
  

Accenture offers a set of tailored industry solutions that help global companies and their partners deliver high performance in this dynamic environment.

Accenture's aerospace and defense solutions and services directly address the challenges that the industry faces today and will face tomorrow. Performance based logistics, availability contracting, low-cost carrier models and long-term commercial MRO contracts are making services an increasingly vital component of a products-dominated industry.

Designing, building and running complex, long term programs at a defined service level is our business. This DNA, coupled with our deep industry knowledge allows Accenture to help clients not only answer the key questions that they face but also implement their solutions. As we work with our clients, some specific questions come to the fore:

• How do we identify and monitor the risk of a long term program?
  
  
• Should we manage new services businesses differently than an engineering program?
   
• Can we track the as-maintained bill of material for an asset?
  
  
• Are we pricing effectively?
  
  
• How do we centrally and securely manage my data and intellectual property and those of my partners?
  
  
• Will our organization need to change if services become a greater portion of our business?
  
  
• Can we track the earned value of a program after assets leave the production line?
  
  
• How do we attract, manage and retain the talent we need to run our business?
  
  
• Are we getting the most out of our partnerships and vice versa?
  
  
• How do we construct a secure global supply chain for both manufacturing and after market services?
  
  
• Could shared services add value to our organization and do we need them?
  
  
• Do we have the data management and analytics capabilities we need to achieve our goals?
  
  
• Are we running our business in a sustainable fashion for both our enterprise and the environment?
  
  

We employ our global industry experience and worldwide business presence to bring tailored and innovative solutions to our aerospace and defense clients.

• Engineering Services and Business Process Outsourcing: We can help you work to reduce costs, improve company focus, increase service quality and develop world class capabilities in engineering, procurement, finance and other areas.
  
  
• Global Supply Chain Management—Capabilities Based Lifecycle Management: We can help you transform your supply chain from making products to providing asset management services that ensure that your products are available to your customers when they need to use them.
  
  
• Global Mergers and Acquisitions/Merger Integration: We can help you achieve high performance in mergers and acquisitions through pre-deal assistance services, transaction analysis, strategic due diligence and merger integration planning and execution.
  
  
• Program Profitability: We can help you develop the tools, assets and skills to generate stakeholder value through a portfolio of profitable programs.
  
  
• Sustainability: We can help you create long-term economic and brand value that positively impacts the environment, the social community in which you run your business and your bottom line.
  
  
• Talent Management: We help you derive new value from one of your largest and most powerful assets—your workforce.