Aerospace and Defense

Rapid changes in the aerospace and defense industry are creating new opportunities for companies willing to innovate and reposition themselves for the future. BCG’s aerospace and defense consulting teams help companies adapt to these ever-evolving times.

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Geopolitical uncertainty—typified by changing trade and diplomatic relationships—poses challenges and opportunities for aerospace and defense firms. Commercial aviation firms are struggling with massive backlogs and prices that are rising because of tariffs. And as defense budgets increase, legacy defense firms need to innovate with new technologies—like affordable mass—and business models to compete with disruptive defense tech startups.

For companies that operate in both segments, the challenge is to foster innovation, maintain operational excellence, and strengthen their financial position amid this change.

Our Consulting Services for Aerospace and Defense

BCG's defense and security consulting experts tailor private-sector best practices to clients’ unique circumstances to help them achieve impressive outcomes.
We help clients unlock value from every aspect of their operations, maximizing efficiency and effectiveness in procurement, service operations, supply chains, and beyond.
BCG’s product innovation consulting team helps companies engineer market-winning products and services, improve product excellence, and transform R&D.
BCG's capital project management consulting services help contractors, business owners, & suppliers successfully navigate complex large capex projects.
BCG helps organizations focus on building resilience and sustainability into their supply chains to mitigate disruptions and trade instability. We also help maximize the return on these critical investments.
Scaling artificial intelligence can create a massive competitive advantage. Learn how our AI-driven initiatives have helped clients extract value.

How BCG Helps Aerospace and Defense Companies

This new reality makes it vital for aerospace and defense companies to innovate. BCG helps businesses throughout the aerospace and defense industry:

  • Embrace innovation. We help harness the power of next-generation manufacturing, energy-efficient products, and advanced analytics.
  • Launch digital transformations. We help increase operating efficiency and deliver new value to their customers by using generative AI and machine learning.
  • Transform their organizations. We help with restructuring support, M&A expertise, and post-merger integration services.
  • Future-proof their workforce. We help advance diversity and inclusivity to equip people with new skills.
  • Rationalize their portfolio. We help dispose of poorly performing businesses and acquire positions in new growth areas.
  • Enhance machinery and equipment. We help maintain and upgrade machinery and equipment to ensure safety, adaptability, and longevity.

BCG has the deep industry knowledge, global insights, and digital transformation expertise to help aerospace and defense companies weather the storm and come out stronger. Our global team works across the aerospace and defense value chain to deliver sustainable competitive advantage to clients, create value, improve operations, and adapt new technology.

Our Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul Consulting Services

Maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) play pivotal roles in ensuring the longevity and safety of operations throughout today’s aerospace and defense industry. As the sector continues to rebound from the upheaval caused by the global pandemic, the need for streamlined, cost-effective MRO capabilities has never been more critical.
Explore Our MRO Offerings for Aerospace and Defense

Our teams bring deep expertise in navigating complex MRO challenges across a spectrum of projects, including:

  • Program Launch and Recovery. We help to revitalize stalled or lagging programs with strategic interventions and ensure that projects not only are completed on time and within budget but also meet the highest standards of excellence. 
  • Technical Services. Our focus is on boosting the efficiency and reliability of your operations. Whether it’s predictive maintenance, system upgrades, or compliance audits, we harness cutting-edge technology and extensive technical know-how to optimize your asset performance. 
  • Shop Floor and Operations. We offer hands-on expertise to refine your shop floor operations. From streamlining workflows and enhancing safety protocols to providing tailored training for continuous improvement, we’re committed to maximizing operational efficiency. 
Meet Our MRO Consulting Leadership Team

Managing Director & Senior Partner

Brian Hirshman

Managing Director & Senior Partner
Dallas

Managing Director & Partner

Lacy Ketzner

Managing Director & Partner
Philadelphia

Managing Director & Partner

Christopher Spafford

Managing Director & Partner
Dallas

Managing Director & Partner

Doug Peck

Managing Director & Partner
Washington, DC

Our Clients' Success in Aerospace and Defense Consulting

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Post-Merger Integration
BCG helped define guiding principles, processes, team structure, and timelines for the merger of two diversified defense companies, which created one of the world’s largest aerospace and defense companies and led to a significant increase in shareholder value.
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Aerospace and Defense Innovation and Strategy
At a US shipbuilding company, we led a cross-functional team through a sprint to generate ideas for cutting costs in the materials value stream and provided procurement personnel with new capabilities and tools to make supplier negotiations more strategic.
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Parts Pricing
BCG supported a major aircraft producer to develop an algorithm to optimize parts pricing, resulting in a multi-million-dollar uplift in revenue in just the first year.
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Excellence in Export and Business Development
BCG helped a major defense prime restructure its sales and business development functions, achieving faster response time, unlocking new export opportunities, and maximizing the outcome of non-recurring costs.
Aerospace and Defense Senior Advisors
  • Admiral Chris Aquilino (Ret.), Commander US Indo-Pacific Command, US Navy
  • Agnes Audier, Chief Performance Officer, Havas
  • Rear Admiral Paul Beattie (Ret.), Military Lead, UK Defense Reform Program
  • Rear Admiral Luc Cassivi (Ret.), Director General, Canadian Armed Forces
  • Nancy Chahwan, Senior Associate Deputy Minister, Canadian National Defense
  • Christophe De Hauwer, Chief Strategy and Development Officer, SES
  • Hugh Eaton, Vice President for Worldwide Government, Microsoft
  • Lieutenant General William “Mark” Faulkner (Ret.), Deputy Commandant for Installations and Logistics, US Marine Corps
  • Lieutenant General Judy Fedder (Ret.), Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Installations, and Mission Support, US Air Force
  • Rear Admiral Mike Finley (Ret.),  US Navy
  • Mike French, Chief of Staff, NASA
  • Major Reggie Gilyard (Ret.), US Air Force, former BCG Managing Director and Partner
  • Vice Admiral Jean Hausermann (Ret.), Mission Officer, French Navy
  • Richard Kidd, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Environment and Energy Resilience, US Department of Defense
  • Caroll Lane,  President, Commercial Engines, Pratt & Whitney
  • General Philippe Lavigne (Ret.), Chief of Staff, French Air and Space Force and Supreme Allied Commander, NATO Transformation Headquarter
  • Admiral Bill Lescher (Ret.), Vice Chief of Naval Operations, US Navy
  • General Joseph Martin (Ret.), Vice Chief of Staff, US Army
  • Masanori Nishi, Administrative Vice Minister of Defense, Ministry of Defense of Japan
  • Peter Ong, Head of the Singaporean Civil Service
  • Lieutenant General Mark Poffley (Ret.), Deputy Chief of Defense, British Army
  • General Ed Rice (Ret.), Commander of Air Education and Training Command, US Air Force
  • Dr. Peter Tauber, Parliamentary State Secretary, German Federal Minister of Defense
  • Lieutenant General Ton van Loon (Ret.), Dutch Army and NATO
  • Michael Vickers, Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, US Department of Defense
  • Air Chief Sir Mike Wigston (Ret.), Chief of the Air Staff, Head of the UK Royal Air Force
  • General Stephen Wilson (Ret.), Vice Chief of Staff, US Air Force
  • Secretary Christine Wormuth, Secretary of the US Army
  • Vice Admiral Jim Zortman (Ret.), Commander of Naval Aviation Forces, US Navy

Our Latest Thinking on Aerospace and Defense

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