Employment figures for the European aerospace and defense industries 2010-2023

In 2023, the aerospace and defense sector in Europe employeed just more than one million people. Over the given period, employment in the industry experienced mainly a stable growth, despite 2021 when the areospace and defense sector affected negatively due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

Revenue growth and sector breakdown

 Alongside the employment growth, the European aerospace and defense industry also saw substantial financial gains. In 2023, the sector recorded its highest revenue of 290.4 billion euros, continuing a trend of year-on-year growth that was only briefly interrupted by the pandemic in 2020. Civil Aeronautics contributed the largest share of this revenue at 118.9 billion euros, while the space segment generated 12.6 billion euros. This breakdown highlights the diverse nature of the industry and its various subsectors.

Global context and technological advancements

The European aerospace and defense sector's growth occurs within a dynamic global context. In 2023, there were 221 orbital launches worldwide, with the United States leading at 114 launches, followed by China with 67. The industry has also seen significant developments in small satellite technology. Between 2014 and 2023, China's People's Liberation Army led government operators with 129 small satellite launches, while NASA was the top civil government operator with 51 launches.