Complexity Of Modern Combat Platforms To Promote Military Support In Service Market, Says Frost & Sullivan

LONDON, Dec. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Despite defence budget cuts in many countries, military support in service (SIS) outsourcing is set to increase, mainly due to the complexity of modern combat platforms which need permanent support.

The rising cost of military maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), the need to mitigate the increasing complexity of equipment and systems as well as the difficulty of providing resources (cost of staff, complexity of training and staff retention) are all intensifying the pressure on defence budgets. As a result, industry involvement in military SIS will continue to rise as armed forces look to streamline SIS costs.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (http://www.defence.com), Global Military Support in Service Market Assessment, finds that the market earned revenues of $49,444.4 million in 2011 and estimates this to reach $59,643.3 million by 2020. The research covers four main military SIS segments: MRO, modernisation, training and simulation, and total solution.

"The modernisation segment has one of the most promising and stable outlooks for the forecast period," noted Frost & Sullivan Defence Industry Analyst Dominik Kimla. "Decreasing defence procurement budgets and the rising prices of new combat defence platforms are resulting in end users looking to modernise equipment rather than replace it."

Shrinking defence outlays, however, remain a key challenge. Many Western forces are downsizing their equipment fleets, resulting in fewer platforms to service in the marketplace. In addition, limited procurement budgets mean that Ministries of Defence (MODs) are unable to replace retired platforms with newer equivalents. The resulting reduction in combat platforms will have a direct impact on military SIS revenue, particularly in Europe.

"It is expected that defence contractors will provide a complex SIS package as part of the main contract for a supply of modern weapons and combat platforms which are already in service," remarked Kimla. "Defence suppliers will also need to demonstrate how outsourcing of SIS can lead to reduced operation costs in both the mid- and long-term to appeal to MoD agendas that focus on cost reduction while ensuring force preparedness."

1 2 Next › Last »