RESEARCH REPORT
Navigating the next phase of aerospace growth
Commercial aerospace enters 2027 with double-digit growth and a renewed focus on production, supply-chain resilience and execution.
5-MINUTE READ
October 22, 2026
In brief
- Commercial Aerospace revenue is projected to grow 11.5% in 2027, with combined Airbus and Boeing deliveries rising 12%.
- Near-term confidence in supplier delivery and quality has fallen to a five-year low, despite improving expectations for 2027.
- The next phase of growth will be capability-led, as companies strengthen manufacturing and supply-chain capabilities using AI and data.
By the numbers
85%
expect commercial aerospace revenue to grow over the next 24 months, reflecting sustained industry optimism
74%
plan to increase production capacity over the next 24 months to support higher aircraft production
76%
expect MRO spend to rise within 2 years, reflecting sustained demand for aftermarket services
74%
rank production and delivery growth as top capability development priority, indicating that execution has become a strategic differentiator
Building the capabilities needed to sustain aerospace growth
Can commercial aerospace keep pace with its own growth?
Commercial aerospace enters 2027 with strong momentum. Accenture forecasts global industry revenue to grow 11.5% in 2027, following an estimated 13% increase in 2026.
Global commercial aerospace revenue index (USD, 2018=100)
Source: Accenture analysis
Sustaining this growth will require aerospace companies to scale production while maintaining quality, safety and delivery reliability. Manufacturing, supply-chain and digital capabilities will be critical to meeting the production ramp-up.
Production growth tests supply-chain resilience
With aircraft backlogs approaching 60% of the active fleet, well above the historical norm of 30–40%, the immediate challenge isn’t generating demand. It’s delivering on it.
OEMs and suppliers are expanding capacity to support higher production rates, but shifting bottlenecks across engines, aerostructures and manufacturing processes continue to challenge production stability and delivery reliability. Our executive survey reflects these pressures: near-term confidence in suppliers’ ability to meet expectations has fallen to a five-year low. Although 88% of executives still expect suppliers to meet or exceed expectations over the next 12 months, the downward trend signals growing concern about the industry’s readiness to sustain higher production rates. Addressing this gap will require targeted capacity expansion, closer supplier collaboration and stronger quality controls.
Capability will define the next phase of growth
Production and delivery growth and supply-chain resilience are the leading drivers of capability development among aerospace executives, reflecting a focus on scaling production and ensuring reliable deliveries. To support that effort, companies are advancing physical and digital investments together, expanding manufacturing and supply-chain capacity while using AI and data to improve visibility, decision-making and productivity.
Fine-tuning how companies acquire, build and partner
While executives favor developing most capabilities in-house, AI presents a different picture, with 41% prioritizing partnerships, 36% acquisitions and only 18% internal development.
As production priorities shift and new capability gaps emerge, companies will need to continually fine-tune the balance between what they acquire, build in-house and access through partners. Rather than rely on a fixed approach, they will need to align these choices with evolving operational needs and emerging technologies to sustain growth in 2027 and beyond.
