Documentos de Académico
Documentos de Profesional
Documentos de Cultura
The medium/heavy military rotorcraft market has been robust in recent years. The market has been boosted by
continually high levels of helicopter acquisition by the U.S. military and other operators, as well as by production
ramp-ups of a number of new models that have recently entered service. The Forecast International study projects
that annual production in the medium/heavy military market will increase through 2013.
According to the study, though, market growth will not continue indefinitely. Forecast International estimates that
yearly production will begin declining as soon as 2014, and continue declining through 2020, as current
procurement programs run their course. Order backlogs for many models are declining, as new orders have not been
coming in the door at sufficient rates to grow the backlogs or even maintain them at previous levels.
Meanwhile, the winding down of the Afghan and Iraqi conflicts, combined with competing domestic budget
priorities, is putting downward pressure on U.S. defense spending. According to Forecast International senior
aerospace analyst Raymond Jaworowski, "Efforts to close the U.S. budget deficit will result in future trade-offs that
negatively impact Pentagon spending levels. Even without this budgetary pressure, though, the current
modernization cycle in U.S. military rotorcraft procurement would be nearing an end."
The U.S. is not the only nation that has been contributing to increased demand for medium/heavy military rotorcraft.
A number of countries, though, are in the midst of acquisition programs that will soon run their course. Very few
nations are embarking on major new rotorcraft procurement programs.
Forecast International projects that annual production of medium/heavy military rotorcraft will total 418 units in
2011, increase to 504 units by 2013, and then gradually but steadily decline to 366 units by 2020. The study also
includes market share projections by company for the 10-year forecast timeframe. These projections indicate that
Sikorsky will lead the market during the 2011-2020 period in both unit production and production value. Other
major players in the market will include AgustaWestland, Boeing, Eurocopter, and Russian Helicopters.