The aerospace and defense (A&D) industry is always on the move and changing. Technologies and processes that worked yesterday might not work today. That is why A&D companies are constantly seeking better ways to manage complexity, cut costs, and boost productivity. Enter RFID technology. There are scores of supply-chain and asset-management applications where RFID is being used, tested, and deployed to solve real-world business problems within A&D markets. A multitude of recent announcements from the likes of the US and allied militaries, Boeing, Airbus, and NASA bear witness to the technology's growing popularity.

These applications are explored in a major study from ABI Research, "The RFID Aerospace and Defense Market."

"RFID has the strategic potential to help A&D companies improve supply chain visibility as well as asset management and optimization," says the firm's RFID research director, Michael Liard. "However it must be noted that RFID is not a stand-alone panacea for all business problems. ABI Research believes that the integration of bar code, passive and active RFID, GPS, Wi-Fi, cellular, and sensors is increasingly required to provide a holistic view of the sophisticated and dynamic A&D vertical market."

The report sums up the current state of RFID in the A&D industry as follows:

• Supply-chain mandate-compliance remains a leading industry driver as A&D supply-chain partners work to satisfy the US Department of Defense's RFID requirements.
  
  
• Boeing, Airbus, and other industry influencers are actively pursuing asset-based RFID applications, including solutions for returnable and reusable asset management and spare parts tracking and authentication.
  
  
• Standards focus has predominantly been on low-cost passive UHF solutions and off-network RFID data; however, ISO 18000-7 is also garnering increased attention as a technology standard for active-based RFID solutions.
  
  
• The initial focus for A& D RFID will be on enhanced visibility but, in the future, it will be used in conjunction with sensor technology to authenticate and monitor objects, assets, or items in real time. Semi-active/semi-passive solutions are expected to play a key role here.

ABI Research's RFID Aerospace and Defense Market study provides an assessment of the opportunities and business benefits of RFID in A&D markets, identifying the key business operation, technology, and industry issues challenging the A&D industry and assessing how RFID is seen as an enabling technology. It forms part of the company's annual RFID Research Service.

Founded in 1990 and headquartered in New York, ABI Research maintains global operations supporting annual research programs, intelligence services and market reports in broadband and multimedia, RFID & contactless, M2M, wireless connectivity, mobile wireless, transportation, and emerging technologies. For information visit www.abiresearch.com, or call +1.516.624.2500.