# Aerospace and defence and Aluminium Aluminium alloys still make up much of an aircraft, about half of a Boeing 777's structure, but carbon composites are about half of the newer 787, so lighter lithium-bearing alloys and certified supply of high-strength grades decide aluminium's place in aerospace. Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/links/aerospace-and-defence-and-aluminium/ [Aerospace and defence](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/aerospace_defence/) (industry) and [Aluminium](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/aluminum/) (commodity): 4 relationships. ## How they are linked ### 1. Industry input *Physical flow · Strong · Aluminium to aerospace and defence* High-strength aluminium alloys form the fuselage and wings of most single-aisle airliners and many military aircraft, and the tanks of launchers; the site rates aluminium 5 of 5 on criticality for alloy suppliers and airframers. - **5 of 5** criticality for alloy suppliers and commercial airframers - **4** aerospace enterprise types that depend on aluminium - **50%** aluminium share of the Boeing 777 structure Single-aisle jets such as the A320 and 737 have metallic wings. Aerospace uses high-strength hard alloys of the 2xxx, 5xxx, 6xxx and 7xxx series, and satellite and launch companies rate aluminium 4 of 5 for tanks. Enterprise types that depend on it: - Specialty alloy, casting and forging suppliers: airframe alloys (criticality 5 of 5) - Commercial airframers: fuselage (criticality 5 of 5) - Satellite and launch companies: tanks (criticality 4 of 5) - Aerostructure and subsystem suppliers: airframe parts (criticality 3 of 5) Sources: [Material Insights](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/aerospace_defence/materials/); [CompositesWorld](https://compositesworld.com/articles/boeing-sets-pace-for-composite-usage-in-large-civil-aircraft); [Constellium](https://res.cloudinary.com/constellium/image/upload/v1750328312/Media%20Relations/2025/LMA_June_2025-Constellium-Wing_of_the_Future-secure_xa1fmt.pdf); [Hindalco Industries](https://www.hindalco.com/industries/defence) ### 2. Composites replace aluminium *Substitution · Medium · Carbon composites displace aluminium in wide-body airframes* Carbon fibre composites save weight, so newer long-range jets such as the Boeing 787 use them for about half of their structure. - **50%** composites share of Boeing 787 structural weight - **12%** aluminium share of the 787 - **50%** aluminium share of the earlier 777 The 787 even uses more titanium (15%) than aluminium (12%). Aluminium keeps the single-aisle wing for now and holds an edge at end of life, since composites are harder to recycle. Sources: [CompositesWorld](https://compositesworld.com/articles/boeing-sets-pace-for-composite-usage-in-large-civil-aircraft); [Constellium](https://res.cloudinary.com/constellium/image/upload/v1750328312/Media%20Relations/2025/LMA_June_2025-Constellium-Wing_of_the_Future-secure_xa1fmt.pdf) ### 3. Aluminium-lithium alloys *Physical flow · Medium · Lithium additions keep aluminium competitive* Lithium is the lightest metal, so adding it makes aluminium both lighter and stiffer, letting metal airframes narrow the weight gap with composites. - **about 0.08 g/cm³** density cut per 1% lithium added - **about 3 GPa** stiffness gain per 1% lithium - **about 5%** lower density of Constellium Airware 2076 wing stringers Studies reviewed by Total Materia found that cutting alloy density by 7 to 10% would give cost-effective weight savings. Constellium is developing aluminium-lithium wing products such as these stringers for future single-aisle wings, the market where aluminium competes most directly with composite designs. Sources: [Total Materia](https://www.totalmateria.com/es/articles/aluminum-lithium-alloys-2); [Constellium](https://res.cloudinary.com/constellium/image/upload/v1750328312/Media%20Relations/2025/LMA_June_2025-Constellium-Wing_of_the_Future-secure_xa1fmt.pdf) ### 4. Import reliance for aerospace grades *Shared risk · High in India · India's aerospace makers depend on imported specialty alloys* Aerospace grades need certified melting, casting and testing, so India's public-sector aircraft makers have relied on imports for specialty alloys. In 2017 state-controlled firms such as HAL were reported to import their entire specialty alloy needs. Hindalco-Almex Aerospace now makes 2xxx, 5xxx, 6xxx and 7xxx series hard alloy billets, slabs and extrusions for missiles, launch vehicles, satellites and aircraft, giving a domestic source to qualify on more programmes. Sources: [Hindalco Industries](https://www.hindalco.com/industries/defence); [AlCircle](https://www.alcircle.com/blog/indian-aluminium-sector-fly-high-powered-aerospace-defence-demand) ## For investors ### Key learnings 1. Aerospace aluminium is a premium niche where certified 2xxx and 7xxx plate, extrusion and forging capacity matters more than primary metal tonnage. 2. Composite airframes cut aluminium sharply, from 50% of the 777's structure to 12% of the 787's, so single-aisle wing design choices are the key swing for demand. 3. Aluminium-lithium alloys, some about 5% lower in density, are aluminium's main defence against composites. ### What to track - **Airbus and Boeing single-aisle production rates**: Drive aerospace plate and extrusion demand (Monthly · company delivery data) - **Material choices for the next single-aisle wing**: A composite wing would cut aluminium per aircraft (As announced · Airbus and Boeing) - **Aerospace plate shipments and pricing**: Show how tight certified capacity is (Quarterly · producer results) ## For policymakers ### Key learnings 1. For defence self-reliance, domestic supply of certified aerospace alloys matters more than primary aluminium output. 2. Hindalco-Almex Aerospace gives India a source of 2xxx and 7xxx hard alloys; qualifying it on more HAL, ISRO and DRDO programmes cuts import reliance. 3. Metal airframes are easier to recycle than composites, a point for end-of-life and circularity rules. ### What to track - **Imports of aluminium alloy plate, sheet and extrusions**: Show how far domestic grades replace imports (Monthly · Ministry of Commerce trade data) - **Qualification of Indian alloy suppliers on defence and space programmes**: More qualified sources reduce supply risk (As announced · ministries and companies) ## India Hindalco-Almex Aerospace makes aerospace and defence hard alloys in the 2xxx, 5xxx, 6xxx and 7xxx series for missiles, launch vehicles, satellites and aircraft, while public-sector makers such as HAL were reported in 2017 to import all their specialty alloy needs. ## Sources 1. [Aerospace and defence: materials](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/aerospace_defence/materials/), Material Insights (2026) 2. [Boeing sets pace for composite usage in large civil aircraft](https://compositesworld.com/articles/boeing-sets-pace-for-composite-usage-in-large-civil-aircraft), CompositesWorld 3. [Aluminum-lithium alloys: part two](https://www.totalmateria.com/es/articles/aluminum-lithium-alloys-2), Total Materia 4. [Wing of the future (Light Metal Age, June 2025)](https://res.cloudinary.com/constellium/image/upload/v1750328312/Media%20Relations/2025/LMA_June_2025-Constellium-Wing_of_the_Future-secure_xa1fmt.pdf), Constellium (2025) 5. [Defence](https://www.hindalco.com/industries/defence), Hindalco Industries 6. [Indian aluminium sector to fly high, powered by aerospace and defence demand](https://www.alcircle.com/blog/indian-aluminium-sector-fly-high-powered-aerospace-defence-demand), AlCircle (2017)