Survey Says Aerospace and Defense Investing in AI, AM

A new survey commissioned by Xometry looks closer at how aerospace and defense (A&D) programs are investing in new capabilities to increase speed and expand scale and resilience. 

The survey found that 41% of A&D leaders anticipate acceleration in 2026, outpacing expectations across general industry. 

Trends Driving A&D Readiness

To support this growth, A&D organizations are adopting advanced technologies at a faster pace than other sectors:

• AI-enabled sourcing: 85% of A&D leaders are prioritizing AI-driven solutions to enhance pricing visibility, streamline sourcing workflows, and support faster, procurement decisions—compared to 63% across general industry.
• Workforce evolution: Leaders expect about half (47%) of the A&D workforce to be upskilled or reskilled in response to increased use of AI-enabled tools.
• Expanding use of additive manufacturing (AM): AM is expected to be the fastest-growing manufacturing process in 2026, as A&D programs expand their use of qualified additive suppliers for rapid prototyping, lightweighting, sustainment applications, and access to advanced materials.

Priorities

A significant 90% of A&D leaders cite reshoring as essential to their success, reflecting a continued emphasis on domestic capacity, sourcing flexibility, and resilient supply chains. After a year in which 60% of organizations experienced significant supplier delays, leaders are focused on diversifying their supplier mix and improving visibility into qualified domestic manufacturing partners.

“The data is clear: as aerospace and defense programs scale, innovation and execution are increasingly intertwined,” says Randy Altschuler, co-founder and CEO of Xometry. “Our role at Xometry is to provide a secure manufacturing platform that helps teams move faster, improve visibility into qualified suppliers, and adapt as requirements evolve—strengthening the domestic industrial base while supporting program agility.”

Production Readiness

With 47% of leaders citing compliance as a primary supply chain vulnerability, success now depends on a commitment to standards including AS9100, ITAR, and CMMC, backed by dimensional validation and documentation.

“Xometry is uniquely positioned to bridge the A&D readiness gap. Our marketplace is ITAR-registered and CMMC Level 2-certified, providing instant access to AS9100D-certified facilities and full-scale quality assurance, including First Article Inspection Reports (FAIR) and hardware traceability,” says Mike Cavalieri, senior vice president of Marketplace Operations at Xometry.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.