General Atomics

ADS sees signs of a stabilising aircraft market

Commercial aircraft orders grew by almost two thirds in February 2025 compared to February 2024 according to ADS, with 27 narrowbody aircraft ordered in February 2025, even though no wide body aircraft orders were placed.


 
Image by Ricardo / copyright Shutterstock

The latest commercial aircraft data from the UK’s aerospace, defence, security and space trade association further highlights a sustained growth in aircraft deliveries, with 86 delivered in February 2025. The ADS dataset highlights 13% year-on-year growth in aircraft deliveries and the highest for the month since 2019.

ADS data reflects a stabilising market and a steadying backlog of 15,767 aircraft orders. While this still accounts for £255 billion and around 14 years’ worth of work, this marks a slow departure from the record backlog figures seen in recent years.

Aimie Stone, Chief Economist at ADS commented on the figures: “February 2025 data is promising. Both orders and deliveries are showing steady albeit gradual improvement, indicating that market pressures – including workforce issues and regulatory hurdles – are gradually easing, as the deliveries of aircraft come through.

While the stabilising backlog will reassure investors, the absence of widebody orders this month could be a concern for UK manufacturers, given their exposure to the widebody market. This trend, if it continues, will need to be closely watched alongside growing demand for single-aisle aircraft.”

Related

UK project to beam power from the ground to PHASA-35 in bid for year-round stratospheric flight
PHASA-35
UK project to beam power from the ground to PHASA-35 in bid for year-round stratospheric flight
Space Solar will develop a 5.8 GHz wireless power system for PHASA-35 under a £1.3m ARIA project aimed at enabling year-round stratospheric flight.
Aerospace Space

17 Sep 2026

Record-breaking August rounds off Stansted’s busiest ever summer
Stansted Terminal Security entrance.
Record-breaking August rounds off Stansted’s busiest ever summer
Whilst welcoming over 100,000 passengers on every day of August, London Stansted Airport achieved its busiest ever day, month and summer on record.
Aerospace

16 Sep 2026

UK MOD accelerates low-cost drone turbojet development with Alloyed
Image: MOD Crown Copyright
UK MOD accelerates low-cost drone turbojet development with Alloyed
A new UK-developed turbojet engine has reached flight-ready status in less than seven months, highlighting the potential of advanced manufacturing to accelerate defence propulsion.
Aerospace Defence Test

16 Sep 2026

British Army’s new drone fleet reflects a battlefield where hiding is getting harder
TEKEVER AR5
British Army’s new drone fleet reflects a battlefield where hiding is getting harder
Britain is replacing Watchkeeper with TEKEVER’s AR5 while fielding more than 1,000 smaller drones as the Army adapts to a battlefield under constant observation.
Defence

17 Sep 2026

Babcock and Ark Robotics partner on uncrewed ground vehicles for UK forces
Babcock Ark Robotics sign MOU at DVD 2026
Babcock and Ark Robotics partner on uncrewed ground vehicles for UK forces
Babcock and Ark Robotics will explore UK manufacturing and integration of uncrewed ground vehicles already deployed with Ukrainian forces.
Defence

17 Sep 2026

How Xometry helped AADS deliver a next-generation military ambulance at speed
Xometry / AADS militarised ambulance conversion
UK project to beam power from the ground to PHASA-35 in bid for year-round stratospheric flight
PHASA-35
UK project to beam power from the ground to PHASA-35 in bid for year-round stratospheric flight
Space Solar will develop a 5.8 GHz wireless power system for PHASA-35 under a £1.3m ARIA project aimed at enabling year-round stratospheric flight.
Aerospace Space

17 Sep 2026

Teledyne imaging sensors launch on ESA’s Sentinel-3C and FLEX Missions
ESA's FLEX
Teledyne imaging sensors launch on ESA’s Sentinel-3C and FLEX Missions
The two European Space Agency (ESA) climate-monitoring missions will provide observations of Earth’s oceans, land surfaces and vegetation, using optimised hyperspectral imaging technology from Teledyne Space Imaging.
Space

17 Sep 2026

Harwell-based Open Cosmos secures €300m to scale sovereign satellite production
Open Cosmos
Harwell-based Open Cosmos secures €300m to scale sovereign satellite production
Harwell-based Open Cosmos has raised €300m to expand satellite manufacturing and space-based intelligence as the UK strengthens sovereign capability.
Defence Space

16 Sep 2026

King warns of “existential dangers” of AI as tech leaders meet in Scotland
HM the King with attendees at AI conference in Scotland
King warns of “existential dangers” of AI as tech leaders meet in Scotland
King Charles urged leading AI companies to keep humans in control of powerful systems. Here's how UK defence and aerospace firms can prove AI is safe.
Insights Security

17 Sep 2026

MSI-DS launches TERRAHAWK RAPTOR mobile counter-drone weapon station
MSI-DS unveiled the TERRAHAWK RAPTOR during the opening day of DVD2026 on 16 September 2026. This RWS is optimised for C-UAS operations. Image: MSI-DS
MSI-DS launches TERRAHAWK RAPTOR mobile counter-drone weapon station
The new TERRAHAWK RAPTOR remote weapon station is designed for integration across tracked and wheeled platforms, including 4x4 vehicles and UGVs, as MSI-DS targets growing demand for mobile C-UAS capability.
Defence Security

16 Sep 2026

UK recruits hundreds of officers in £500bn money laundering crackdown
Home Office
UK recruits hundreds of officers in £500bn money laundering crackdown
Following National Crime Agency (NCA) estimates that over £100 billion is laundered through UK or UK corporate structures each year, 500 officers will target money laundering networks linked to organised crime, building on Operation Destabilise.
Security

16 Sep 2026