Global Defense Robotics Market to Reach $22.4 Billion by 2026

Defense robotics, or military robotics, refers to the unmanned systems designed to execute military functions without the need for physical presence of personnel during military operations. While the interest towards defense robotics remained strong among governments of leading countries since early 20th century, wider rollout of such systems materialized only during the past two decades. Thanks to full-fledged efforts from the governments of the US, Israel, the UK, France and Russia, defense robotics have achieved significant progression from experimental, remote-operated surveillance machines to autonomous technologies capable of executing combat operations. A primary factor steering momentum in the defense robotics domain is the reduced need for human involvement during military operations and subsequently reduced casualties in combat operations. Being mechanical systems powered by digital technologies, defense robotics can penetrate into enemy territories in stealth mode and independently execute given task, thus potentially minimizing casualties that usually occur in conventional manned missions. Further, these advanced systems come with unique attributes such as fatigueless functioning, high precision, support for any type of terrain, continued functioning despite damaging bomb/weapon attacks, and ability to fit into spaces not possible with mechanical systems or humans, which fully recommend their deployment in military applications. Robotics, when inducted into defense forces, seamlessly improve operational performance, efficiency and efficacy of troops in ground, aerial and maritime operations.

Defense robotics are utilized in various forms including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), unmanned marine vehicles (UMVs) and unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs). UAVs, the pilot-less aircraft, constitute the most widely used form of defense robotics. The US has been a pioneer in development of military UAVs, and currently holds a large fleet of UAVs supplementing its military operations in Afghanistan, Iraq & Syria, and other parts of the world. Similarly, UMVs are mostly made available in the form of USVs (or Unmanned Surface Vessels) and UUVs (or Unmanned Underwater Vehicles) and extend superior capabilities to naval forces in maritime operations. On the other hand, UGVs are ground robots designed with wheels or tracks mainly to supplement the on-foot troops in harsh conditions. Whichever robot deployed the purpose remains the same, i.e., supplementing or replacing the personnel in reconnaissance, combat, logistics and other military tasks, while bestowing the warfighter with greater capabilities in battlefield operations.

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Defense Robotics estimated at US$13.2 Billion in the year 2020, is projected to reach a revised size of US$22.4 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 9.5% over the analysis period. Human Operated , one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to grow at a 9.3% CAGR to reach US$15.1 Billion by the end of the analysis period. After a thorough analysis of the business implications of the pandemic and its induced economic crisis, growth in the Autonomous segment is readjusted to a revised 9.9% CAGR for the next 7-year period. This segment currently accounts for a 38.6% share of the global Defense Robotics market.

World market for defense robotics, despite its visible exposure to ongoing COVID-19 crisis, exhibited a moderate level of resilience, as governments continued to maintain or increase their defense and homeland security budgets. Militaries hold a pivotal role in protecting national interests and stay firm for their operations irrespective of consequences. The role of militaries goes beyond safeguarding borders and thwarting invasion attempts to other emergency scenarios like floods, natural disasters and terrorist activity. The COVID-19 health emergency highlighted the significant of militaries and enabled them to assume a central role in the fight against the COVID-19 virus that has left scores of people infected globally. However, the pandemic has also thrown serious challenges for the defense & military sector by disrupting routine operations. Defense robotics markets continued to display relative stability in 2020. Robots have gained importance amid the pandemic for current and future combat, and military actions. In countries such as Russia, while the pandemic led to imposition of certain limitations on the concepts of operations (CONOPS), and tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs), it had a moderated impact on armed forces training and fighting. The military is moving towards advanced unmanned weapons development.

The U.S. Market is Estimated at $5.3 Billion in 2021, While China is Forecast to Reach $4.5 Billion by 2026

The Defense Robotics market in the U.S. is estimated at US$5.3 Billion in the year 2021. The country currently accounts for a 38.69% share in the global market. China, the world second largest economy, is forecast to reach an estimated market size of US$4.5 Billion in the year 2026 trailing a CAGR of 12.1% through the analysis period. Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Japan and Canada, each forecast to grow at 7.2% and 7.8% respectively over the analysis period. Within Europe, Germany is forecast to grow at approximately 7.5% CAGR while Rest of European market (as defined in the study) will reach US$5.1 Billion by the close of the analysis period.

In the coming years, demand for defense robotics will continue to expand at a faster pace with a number of factors contributing to increased adoption of these advanced technologies by militaries around the world. Rising emphasis on robotic solutions in command, control, communications and computers (C4); intelligence, surveillance & reconnaissance (ISR); and battlefield combat operations are consistently fuelling momentum in the defense robotics space. At the same time, growing concerns over rising human casualties in military operations and sustained focus on reducing warfield deaths through advanced strategies are creating strong business case for military robotics. Defense robotics market is sensing large-scale opportunities through ongoing expansion in global defense spending and drive towards military modernization programs among governments, worldwide. On the other hand, progressive improvements in underlying technologies and functional scope of robotic systems are paving way for wider proliferation of defense robotics.

Increasing number of nations are making investments on robotic solutions on the back of growing terrorist and border encroachment activities. About 90 countries have already deployed defense robots in military operations in one form or the other. Future success of defense robotics market would be directed by progressive advancements in sensing technology, computer programming, communication capabilities, and material science, which would help defense robotics to refine their functionality, performance, efficiency and effectiveness to attract wider audience. Advancements in key parameters such as integration, interoperability, commonality and affordability, and full-scale warfield readiness would also play important role in global adoption of defense robotics. With such robots projected to be the ultimate weapons in the future battleground, military bodies around the world are making heavy investments in research and development of weapon systems that are increasingly automated. However, automated weapons require human intervention in the form of inputs at certain points to avoid targets within areas of restricted fire as per the laws of the Geneva Conventions. This limitation prevents automated weapons from being fully autonomous.

By Type, Airborne Segment to Reach $15.2 Billion by 2026

Global market for Airborne (Type) segment is estimated at US$8.9 Billion in 2020, and is projected to reach US$15.2 Billion by 2026 reflecting a compounded annual growth rate of 9.6% over the analysis period. The United States constitutes the largest regional market for Airborne segment, accounting for 40.2% of the global sales in 2020. China is poised to register the fastest compounded annual growth rate of 12.3% over the analysis period, to reach US$3.3 Billion by the end of the analysis period.