Aerospace, Defense and Security M&A Deals 2025 – Top Themes: Strategic Intelligence

Powered by

All the vital news, analysis, and commentary curated by our industry experts.

Aerospace, defence and security M&A analysis 2025: explore deal value, mega-deals and key disruptive themes. Identify opportunities and support strategy with GlobalData insights.

Understand What’s Driving M&A in the ADS Sector

Mergers and acquisitions offer a clear signal of where the aerospace, defence and security (ADS) sector is heading. This report helps you understand the themes shaping deal activity in 2025 and what they may mean for your strategy.

The global ADS market recorded deals worth $44 billion in 2025, reflecting a decline of 20% compared to 2024. Mega-deals, defined as transactions above $1 billion, reached $33 billion, marking a 21% decrease year-on-year.

You will gain insight into the themes behind these deals and how they are influencing strategic decisions across the sector. As a result, you can better assess where momentum is building and where risks may lie.

Report Value Proposition – Why This Matters for You

This report goes beyond listing deals. It helps you interpret what M&A activity reveals about the future of the ADS sector.

You can use it to:

  • Identify the key themes driving M&A activity in 2025
  • Understand how deal patterns reflect broader industry shifts
  • Evaluate where investment and consolidation are occurring
  • Benchmark your strategy against market activity
  • Support investment, partnership and acquisition decisions

In addition, the analysis is built on GlobalData’s proprietary industry insights. It is trusted by Fortune 500 companies and leading governments worldwide.

Key Insights in ADS M&A Activity

M&A activity in 2025 reflects a shifting landscape, with overall deal value declining compared to the previous year. However, significant capital continues to be concentrated in large-scale transactions.

Mega-deals remain a critical component of the market, highlighting ongoing consolidation and strategic repositioning within the sector.

The report focuses on the most notable deals and the themes driving them, providing a clearer view of how companies are responding to disruption and evolving market conditions.
Aerospace, Defense and Security M&A Deals 2025

Scope

What You Will Learn

The report provides a focused view of M&A activity in the ADS sector, including:

  • Overview of global M&A activity in 2025
  • Analysis of total deal value and mega-deals
  • Identification of key themes driving notable transactions
  • Insights into the most significant deals shaping the sector

In addition, the report highlights how these themes may influence future industry direction.

Target Buyers for This Report

This report is designed for decision-makers who need clear, actionable insight:

  • Aerospace and defence executives
  • Corporate strategy and M&A teams
  • Investors and private equity firms
  • Business development and partnerships teams
  • Market intelligence professionals

If you are responsible for growth, investment or competitive strategy, this report can support your decisions.

How Companies Use This Report

Organizations across the aerospace, defence and security ecosystem can apply this report in practical ways:

  • Aerospace and defence companies (e.g., Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems)
    Use it to evaluate acquisition strategies and track competitor activity
  • Security and technology providers
    Identify emerging themes and align innovation or partnership strategies
  • Investors and private equity firms
    Assess deal flow, sector momentum and high-value opportunities
  • Corporate strategy and business development teams
    Support M&A planning and identify potential targets or partnerships

As a result, you can move from deal data to more informed strategic decisions.

Key Highlights

The ADS sector recorded $44 billion in deal value in 2025, reflecting a decline compared to the previous year. This indicates a shift in market dynamics while still maintaining significant transaction activity.

Mega-deals accounted for $33 billion, highlighting continued focus on large-scale transactions despite an overall reduction in deal value. This suggests that consolidation and strategic positioning remain key priorities for major players.

Reasons to Buy

Benchmark Against Market Activity and Strategic Moves

Understanding where and why deals are happening is essential. Therefore, this report provides a structured view of M&A activity and the themes behind it.

You can benchmark your strategy against recent transactions and identify areas of opportunity or competitive pressure. This may help you refine your approach to growth and investment.

Built on Trusted Data and Expert Analysis

This report is backed by GlobalData’s proprietary research and analyst expertise.

  • Built on GlobalData’s proprietary industry insights
  • Trusted by Fortune 500 companies and government institutions
  • Developed by analysts with deep sector knowledge

Therefore, you can rely on the insights to support high-stakes decisions.

Act Now to Stay Ahead of ADS M&A Trends

M&A activity reflects where the industry is moving next. However, missing key themes can mean missing future opportunities.

This report helps you track deal activity and understand the forces shaping the sector.

Therefore, if you are evaluating acquisitions, partnerships or investment strategies in the ADS market, now is the time to act.

Thoma Bravo LP
Aluminium Corporation of China Limited
China Electronics Technology Group Co Ltd
China National Building Material Group Co Ltd
Hefei State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission
Berkshire Partners LLC
Warburg Pincus LLC
CACI International Inc
Arcline Investment Management LP
Leonardo SpA
Safran SA
Howmet Aerospace Inc
Eaton Corporation Plc
Blackstone Inc
Tinicum, L.P.
Boeing
Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China Ltd
Triumph Group Inc
ARKA Group, L.P
NOVARIA HOLDINGS LLC
Astra Veicoli Industriali SpA
IVECO Defence Vehicles Spa
Collins Aerospace
Consolidated Aerospace Manufacturing LLC
Ultra PCS Limited
TriMas

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

Review of the ADS M&A Market – 2025

ADS M&A Deals Analysis by Geography – 2025

Further Reading

Report Authors

Appendix 1: Deal Selection Criteria

Appendix 2: Our Thematic Research Methodology

Contact Us

Aerospace, Defense and Security M&A Deals 2025 – Top Themes: Strategic Intelligence thematic reports
Currency USD
$495

Can be used by individual purchaser only

$995

Can be shared globally by unlimited users within the purchasing corporation e.g. all employees of a single company


Undecided about purchasing this report?

Enquire Before Buying Download FREE Resources

Get in touch to find out about multi-purchase discounts

reportstore@globaldata.com
Tel +44 20 7947 2745

Sample Report

Aerospace, Defense and Security M&A Deals 2025 – Top Themes: Strategic Intelligence was curated by the best experts in the industry and we are confident about its unique quality. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer free sample pages to help you:

  • Assess the relevance of the report
  • Evaluate the quality of the report
  • Justify the cost

Download your copy of the sample report and make an informed decision about whether the full report will provide you with the insights and information you need.

Below is a sample report to understand what you are buying

See what our customers are saying
testimonial-image
testimonial-image
testimonial-image
testimonial-image
testimonial-image
testimonial-image
testimonial-image

“The GlobalData platform is our go-to tool for intelligence services. GlobalData provides an easy way to access comprehensive intelligence data around multiple sectors, which essentially makes it a one-for-all intelligence platform, for tendering and approaching customers.

GlobalData is very customer orientated, with a high degree of personalised services, which benefits everyday use. The highly detailed project intelligence and forecast reports can be utilised across multiple departments and workflow scopes, from operational to strategic level, and often support strategic decisions. GlobalData Analytics and visualisation solutions has contributed positively when preparing management presentations and strategic papers.”

Business Intelligence & Marketing Manager, SAL Heavy Lift

“COVID-19 has caused significant interference to our business and the COVID-19 intelligence from GlobalData has helped us reach better decisions around strategy. These two highlights have helped enormously to understand the projections into the future concerning our business units, we also utilise the project database to source new projects for Liebherr-Werk to use as an additional source to pitch for new business.”

Market Analyst & Management, Liebherr-Werk

Your daily news has saved me a lot of time and keeps me up-to-date with what is happening in the market, I like that you almost always have a link to the source origin. We also use your market data in our Strategic Business Process to support our business decisions. By having everything in one place on the Intelligence Center it has saved me a lot of time versus looking on different sources, the alert function also helps with this.

Head of Key Accounts, Saab AB

Having used several other market research companies, I find that GlobalData manages to provide that ‘difficult-to-get’ market data that others can’t, as well as very diverse and complete consumer surveys.

Marketing Intelligence Manager, Portugal Foods

Our experience with GlobalData has been very good, from the platform itself to the people. I find that the analysts and the account team have a high level of customer focus and responsiveness and therefore I can always rely on. The platform is more holistic than other providers. It is convenient and almost like a one stop shop. The pricing suite is highly competitive and value for our organisation.

I like reports that inform new segments such as the analysis on generation Z, millennials, the impact of COVID 19 to our banking customers and their new channel habits. Secondly the specialist insight on affluent sector significantly increases our understanding about this group of customers. The combination of those give us depth and breadth of the evolving market.

I’m in the business of answering and helping people make decisions so with the intelligence center I can do that, effectively and efficiently. I can share quickly key insights that answer and satisfy our country stakeholders by giving them many quality studies and primary research about competitive landscape beyond the outlook of our bank. It helps me be seen as an advisory partner and that makes a big difference. A big benefit of our subscription is that no one holds the whole data and because it allows so many people, so many different parts of our organisation have access, it enables all teams to have the same level of knowledge and decision support.

Head of Customer Insight and Research, Standard Chartered

“I know that I can always rely on Globaldata’s work when I’m searching for the right consumer and market insights. I use Globaldata insights to understand the changing market & consumer landscape and help create better taste & wellbeing solutions for our customers in food, beverage and healthcare industries.

Globaldata has the right data and the reports are of very high quality compared to your competitors. Globaldata not only has overall market sizes & consumer insights on food & beverages but also provides insights at the ingredient & flavour level. That is key for B2B companies like Givaudan. This way we understand our customers’ business and also gain insight to our unique industry”

Head of Consumer Sensory Insights, Givaudan

GlobalData provides a great range of information and reports on various sectors that is highly relevant, timely, easy to access and utilise.  The reports and data dashboards help engagement with clients; they provide valuable industry and market insights that can enrich client conversations and can help in the shaping of value propositions. Moreover, using GlobalData products has helped increase my knowledge of the finance sector, the players within it, and the general threats and opportunities.

I find the consumer surveys that are carried out to be extremely beneficial and not something I have seen anywhere else. They provided an insightful view of why and which consumers take (or don’t) particular financial products. This can help shape conversations with clients to ensure they make the right strategic decisions for their business.

One of the challenges I have found is that data in the payments space is often piecemeal. With GD all of the data I need is in one place, but it also comes with additional market reports that provide useful extra context and information. Having the ability to set-up alerts on relevant movements in the industry, be it competitors or customers, and have them emailed directly to me, ensures I get early sight of industry activity and don’t have to search for news.

Senior Account Manager, TSYS
Go even deeper with GlobalData Intelligence Center

Every Company Report we produce is powered by the GlobalData Intelligence Center.

Subscribing to our intelligence platform means you can monitor developments at Aerospace, Defense and Security M&A Deals 2025 – Top Themes: Strategic Intelligence in real time.

  • Access a live Aerospace, Defense and Security M&A Deals 2025 – Top Themes: Strategic Intelligence dashboard for 12 months, with up-to-the-minute insights.
  • Fuel your decision making with real-time deal coverage and media activity.
  • Turn insights on financials, deals, products and pipelines into powerful agents of commercial advantage.