Why Aerospace Supply Chains Remain Vulnerable—and What Obsolescence Experts Know That Others Miss

The 2024 Roland Berger Aerospace Supply Chain Resilience Report paints a stark picture of an industry still gripped by disruption. Despite some progress since 2023, over 66% of aerospace companies report ongoing supply chain issues, with Tier-1 suppliers and critical categories like aerostructures and engines hardest hit. Ramp-up ambitions remain undercut by material shortages, lack of skilled labour, and opaque, overstretched networks.

You can download a copy of the report by visiting the Roland Berger website here…

At Force Technologies, this isn’t surprising—we’ve long understood that true supply chain resilience is impossible without obsolescence foresight. As experts in electronic component lifecycle management, we are seeing firsthand how the hidden risk of obsolescence is often overlooked in traditional supply chain strategies.

“The report confirms what we see daily: companies are firefighting instead of future-proofing. Obsolescence isn’t just a legacy issue—it’s a forward-looking risk that needs visibility at every tier of the supply chain.”

— Karen Salmon FIIOM FORCE TECHNOLOGIES, CEO, Force Technologies

Why Obsolescence is the Blind Spot in Resilience Strategies

The report underscores how supply chain maturity ratings remain low, especially in transparency and network design. That’s a major red flag. When companies lack insight into their extended supplier networks—including end-of-life dates for critical components—they can’t react effectively, let alone plan proactively.

At Force Technologies, we specialise in bringing that visibility to the forefront. Whether through component traceability, EOL (End-of-Life) forecasting, or secure long-term storage, we give aerospace and defence OEMs the tools to transform their reactive supply chains into resilient ecosystems.

The Local-For-Local Movement: Good Start, But Incomplete

Nearly 46% of companies now favour localised supply chains, a trend accelerated by the “polycrisis” of global trade wars, geopolitical instability, and sustainability regulations. While localisation improves some risk factors, it doesn’t mitigate component-level obsolescence or manufacturing dependencies tied to legacy systems.

Localisation without lifecycle management is like building a fortress with crumbling bricks. That’s where Force Technologies steps in—to secure the building blocks of your production line, ensuring availability and compliance far beyond your immediate Tier-1 contacts.

From Firefighting to Foresight: What Needs to Change

Roland Berger’s call for embedding best practices is critical. But best practices must include:

·       Early identification of EOL components

·       Supplier continuity and alternate sourcing planning

·       Digital lifecycle monitoring tools

·       Inventory control for rare or discontinued parts

We help organisations implement these with bespoke obsolescence strategies tailored to their supply chain footprint.

Force Technologies stands ready to partner with aerospace suppliers who want to move from reactive to resilient. The next disruption isn’t a question of “if,” but “when.” Let’s ensure your supply chain isn’t the weakest link. Get in touch with our team by emailing: sales@forcetechnologies.co.ukto find out how we can help.