Facts & Figures
Major trends in the industry in 2022
In 2022, the European aerospace and defence industry sustained its post-pandemic economic resurgence. Both the civil and defence sectors experienced robust growth, witnessing substantial increases in turnover and employment, surpassing pre-pandemic levels.
Commercial air travel continued on its path toward pre-pandemic travel volume in 2022, driving growth in the civil aviation space. Simultaneously, the war unleashed by Russia against Ukraine led to increased demand for defence products, driven by both support for Ukraine and a reassessment of defence preparedness in Europe with the aim of strengthening Europe’s own capacities.
Report highlights
On the following pages, we have collected the most important facts & figures for a number of key areas. For more details and sources, please download the full report.
- Key data & overviewKey indicators such as employment, exports and total turnover.
- Civil aeronauticsWorld passenger traffic by air began to return to normal in 2022, with global total traffic (measured in revenue passenger kilometres) reaching 69% of pre-pandemic (2019) levels for the entire year. In Europe, air traffic surged by 132% compared to 2021. ...
- DefenceAfter decades of low investment, the European defence industry received more attention following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The EU and its Member States took several steps to improve security and resilience of the region. This includes boosting the ...
- SpaceIn 2022, the European space industry witnessed notable employment growth, although it experienced fluctuating revenue levels. Nevertheless, the sector continues to uphold its leading position in the global space industry, even as concerns emerge regarding...
- Research & developmentIn 2022, the collective expenditure on research and development (R&D) in the aeronautics and defence sectors, funded by both industry and governments, reached an estimated €23.2bn.
Download the full report
The full Facts & Figures 2023 report gives you key insights into the industries that make up ASD.
Facts & Figures 2023
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