Aerospace Forging Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends and Forecast (2026 - 2031)

Global Aerospace Forging Market Trends and Insights

Commercial Aircraft Production Backlogs Create Structural Forging Demand

Commercial aircraft order books and limited delivery rates are shifting forging procurement toward longer supply commitments. Airbus reported an order backlog of 9,216 commercial aircraft in its mid-2026 report, providing suppliers with visibility across a broad range of narrowbody and widebody programs. Both Airbus and Boeing programs require forgings for engine rotating parts, landing gear, pylons, and wing structures. The Aerospace Forging Market benefits when OEMs favor qualified suppliers that can maintain stable throughput across multiple production cycles. Long-term agreements provide the demand certainty needed to justify investments in high-ton presses and related heat-treatment equipment, while also reducing reliance on short-notice purchasing for parts with long production and certification cycles.

Fleet Modernization and Engine Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) Squeeze Isothermal Forging Capacity

Delayed new aircraft deliveries have kept older aircraft in service and increased demand for maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) work. This places aftermarket engine orders and new-build orders in competition for similar isothermal forging capacity. Engine turbine discs, compressor stages, and other hot-section components require materials and processes capable of withstanding repeated thermal and mechanical loads. Higher operating temperatures in newer turbofan engines can shorten overhaul intervals for some parts, increasing replacement requirements over the engine's life cycle. The Aerospace Forging Market receives demand from both original equipment production and the installed fleet. Labor availability remains a relevant factor, as specialized forge operations require trained workers and onboarding new employees can take several months.

Titanium and High-Strength Alloy Adoption Reshapes the Material Mix

Aircraft manufacturers continue to use titanium and high-strength alloys in applications where lighter materials cannot meet strength, fatigue, or temperature requirements. Titanium forgings are used in landing gear, engine pylons, structural frames, and high-temperature fittings. Ti-6Al-4V remains widely qualified across commercial and military aerospace programs. Higher-strength titanium grades, including Ti-5553 and Beta-C, are gaining use in selected landing gear and structural applications due to their potential to reduce component weight compared with steel. This shift affects the Aerospace Forging Market because the required material quality, melt capability, and process controls are more demanding. Suppliers with established material processing and forging capabilities are positioned to serve programs that require these grades.

Military Procurement and Space Expansion Broaden the Forging Demand Base

Defense procurement is expanding the demand base beyond commercial aviation. The U.S. Department of Defense requested USD 205.2 billion in procurement funding for fiscal year 2026, including USD 24.8 billion requested by the U.S. Air Force for aircraft procurement. Military aircraft require forged engines, landing gear, and structural parts that meet stringent durability and traceability standards. Space programs add demand for titanium and nickel superalloy hardware used in propulsion systems and reusable launch structures. Reusable vehicles subject certain forged parts to repeated flight loads, inspection cycles, and replacement needs, broadening the Aerospace Forging Market beyond its traditional commercial aircraft production cycle.

Capital Intensity of High-Tonnage Press Infrastructure Limits Capacity Response

Aerospace forging requires large investments in presses, dies, tooling, heat treatment, and quality systems. In April 2026, Safran Aircraft Engines announced a EUR 150 million (USD 175 million) investment in a 30,000-metric-ton hydraulic press at its Gennevilliers site, with commissioning planned for 2029. This investment illustrates that large forging capacity cannot be added quickly in response to rising demand. A major press installation can require 3 to 5 years from commitment to commercial production, and component qualification adds a further 12 to 18 months for many flight-critical parts. The aerospace forging market is therefore constrained by the time required to build and certify capacity, even when customer demand is visible well in advance.

Specialty Alloy Billet Shortages Create Persistent Delivery Exposure

Aerospace-grade titanium and nickel billets remain significant supply constraints for forging companies. Flight-critical titanium forgings must meet material standards and traceability requirements before a replacement material source can be approved, which lengthens the time needed to qualify a new supplier when an existing source is constrained. Nickel superalloy availability also affects the delivery of engine and space hardware, as these materials are required for high-temperature applications. Material scrap and rework costs increase when complex forgings fail to meet dimensional or metallurgical specifications. As a result, the aerospace forging market can face delivery pressure even when forging presses are available.

*Our forecasts treat driver/restraint impacts as directional, not additive. The impact forecasts reflect baseline growth, mix effects, and variable interactions.

Segment Analysis

By Material Type: Titanium Alloys Lead as Nickel Grades Accelerate

Titanium alloys held 38.41% of the aerospace forging market share in 2025, making them the largest material category. Their position reflects their use in landing gear systems, engine pylons, fuselage frames, and structural fittings. These applications require high strength, corrosion resistance, and a favorable weight profile. Ti-6Al-4V is the most widely qualified titanium alloy across major commercial and military programs. It is used where aluminum lacks sufficient strength or thermal tolerance. Steel alloys continue to serve undercarriage housings, high-strength joints, and other areas where toughness and load performance are required. Aluminum alloys remain relevant to structural applications such as wing ribs and spars. Other materials include emerging options such as titanium-aluminum intermetallics for selected high-temperature engine uses.

Nickel-based superalloys are the fastest-growing material segment, with an expected CAGR of 5.66% from 2026 to 2031. These materials are used in turbofan hot sections because they retain structural integrity under high cyclic stress and temperatures above 1,100°C. The aerospace forging market size for nickel-based superalloys is supported by demand for turbine discs, compressor hardware, and other high-temperature engine parts. A 2026 CIRP Annals study found that in-process micro-forging during additive manufacturing of Inconel 718 refined the grain structure compared with as-built additive material^{[1]V. R. Duarte et al., “In-Process Micro-Forging Enhanced Additive Manufacturing of Inconel 718 With Significant Grain Refinement,” CIRP Annals, doi.org}. The finding supports continued interest in combining additive processes with forging for specialized nickel components. Such approaches may improve material performance while retaining the mechanical advantages associated with forging. EN 9100 quality management certification and Nadcap special-process accreditation remain important barriers to entry across aerospace material categories. These requirements favor suppliers that can demonstrate consistent control of materials, heat treatment, inspection, and documentation.

By Aircraft Outlook: Commercial Aviation Dominates as Space Programs Lift Growth Velocity

Commercial aerospace accounted for 69.27% of the aerospace forging market share in 2025 and remains the largest aircraft-type category through 2031. The A320neo family, 737 MAX, A350, and 787 programs rely on forgings for engine rotating hardware, landing gear, pylon attachments, and wing structures. Their production requirements make commercial aviation the primary driver of demand in the aerospace forging market. Aircraft order backlogs give suppliers greater visibility into future requirements compared to earlier production cycles. Military aerospace holds the second-largest position, supported by procurement for combat, airlift, and special-mission aircraft. The U.S. Air Force requested USD 24.8 billion for aircraft procurement in fiscal year 2026, supporting sustained demand for structural and engine forgings across military platforms.

Space exploration is expected to record the highest CAGR of 6.82% during 2026 to 2031. Reusable launch vehicles subject titanium and nickel superalloy structures to repeated thermal and mechanical loading, potentially increasing inspection and replacement requirements compared to single-use launch systems. The segment remains smaller than commercial aviation, but its material requirements are significant per vehicle. Blue Origin's New Glenn program represents an additional source of demand for titanium structural forgings and engine-related hardware. The aerospace forging market benefits when new launch programs transition from development to regular flight operations. Space and military applications also typically require more specialized processing than commercial programs, and their faster growth can improve the average value of forgings supplied across the broader market.

By Application: Engine Components Drive Both Share and Growth

Engine components accounted for 45.75% of the aerospace forging market size in 2025, making them the largest application category. Turbine discs, compressor stages, fan hubs, and combustor casings form the core of engine forging demand. These parts operate under demanding conditions, including high temperatures, high pressures, and rotational loads. Their production requires strict control of alloy chemistry, grain structure, heat treatment, and inspection. Both commercial production and engine maintenance support demand for engine components. Airlines extending the service life of existing fleets also consume engine spares, which can compete with new-build requirements for the same forge capacity. The aerospace forging market remains closely linked to the availability of isothermal presses and high-temperature processing for these critical parts, making engine applications a central consideration for supplier capacity planning.

Engine components are also the fastest-growing application, with a projected CAGR of 5.81% from 2026 to 2031. Newer turbofan engines operate at higher temperatures and stress levels, which can increase the consumption of hot-section replacement parts over time. Airframe components represent the second-largest application and rely on large titanium and aluminum forgings that replace multi-part assemblies. Weber Metals states that its 60,000-ton pull-down press produces large monolithic aerospace forgings and can consolidate assemblies of up to five parts into a single forging. The company also states that these forgings can provide 20% weight savings through thinner webs and reduced material coverage. Landing gear components are another major application category, requiring high strength and fracture resistance over repeated takeoff, landing, and taxi cycles. Bharat Forge signed a long-term agreement with Embraer in May 2026 to manufacture and supply critical landing gear forgings for commercial and defense aircraft programs. The agreement indicates that qualified suppliers outside established aerospace centers are gaining roles in this application segment.

Geography Analysis

North America held 41.31% of the global aerospace forging market share in 2025. The region benefits from commercial aircraft manufacturing, defense procurement, engine production, and an established network of material and forging suppliers. Boeing programs and US defense aircraft generate demand across facilities in the Pacific Northwest, Southern California, Ohio, and Texas. Precision Castparts Corp. planned to invest USD 380 million in its Wyman-Gordon forging sites, including two new isothermal presses focused on nickel superalloy forgings for commercial and military engine programs. Arconic commissioned a USD 57.5 million expansion at its Davenport Works plant in 2025, which doubled domestic US high-purity aluminum production for defense and aerospace applications. These investments reflect the importance of domestic materials and process capacity to North American supply chain security.

Asia-Pacific is forecast to grow at a 6.23% CAGR from 2026 to 2031, the highest regional rate in the aerospace forging market. China's civil aviation expansion, India's defense manufacturing efforts, and Japan's precision forging capabilities support regional demand. Aerolloy Technologies, a PTC Industries subsidiary, completed installation and commissioning of a 4,500/5,100-ton intelligent open-die forging system at its Strategic Materials Technology Complex in March 2026^{[2]PTC Industries Limited, “Aerolloy Technologies Forging System Commissioning,” BSE India, bseindia.com}. The facility supplies aerospace-grade titanium and superalloy forgings for domestic and international programs. India's supplier base is also expanding through work on aircraft engines and landing gear. Japan and South Korea have capabilities in high-integrity superalloy forging, which supports supply chain diversification.

Europe plays a significant role in the aerospace forging market through the Airbus supply chain, regional engine programs, and military aircraft production. Safran's Gennevilliers press investment is expected to support CFM LEAP, Rafale, Mirage, A400M, and GE90 engine programs when it enters service in 2029. Groupement des Industries Françaises Aéronautiques et Spatiales (GIFAS) reported USD 92.4 billion in revenue for the French aerospace and space sector in 2025. European material traceability and certification standards raise qualification requirements for suppliers serving flight-critical programs. South America remains a smaller market, centered on Embraer's commercial and defense activities.