Surface to Air Missiles Market Size, Share and Trends 2025 to 2034

Surface to Air Missiles Market Size and Forecast 2025 to 2034

The global surface to air missiles market size was estimated at USD 5.84 billion in 2024 and is predicted to increase from USD 6.21 billion in 2025 to approximately USD 10.78 billion by 2034, expanding at a CAGR of 6.32% from 2025 to 2034. The rising demand for advanced technology that helps in providing protection against airborne enemy missiles drives the growth of the market.

Surface to Air Missiles Market Key Takeaways

• North America dominated the market by holding major market share in 2024.
• Asia Pacific is expecting substantial growth in the market during the predicted period.
• By type, the medium-range surface-to-air missiles (MR-SAMs) segment accounted for a considerable share in 2024.
• By type, the short-range surface-to-air missiles (SR-SAMs) segment expects notable growth during the forecast period.
• By propulsion system, the solid rocket motors segment contributed the highest market share in 2024.
• By propulsion system, the liquid rocket motors segment expects substantial growth during the predicted period.
• By guidance system, the infrared homing systems segment led the market in 2024.
• By guidance system, the semi-active radar homing systems expect the fastest growth during the forecast period.
• By platform, the land-based segment dominated the market in 2024.
• By platform, the sea-based segment expects substantial growth during the predicted period.
• By application, the air defense segment held a biggest market share in 2024.
• By application, the missile defense segment will witness the fastest growth in the predicted period.

How Can Artificial Intelligence (AI) Impact the Surface to Air Missiles Market?

The implementation of Artificial Intelligence into defense technology offers significant advancements in the improvement of the country's security. The integration of artificial intelligence into the different applications of defense and commercial aircraft with predictive analytics and automation enhanced operations and efficiency. AI can predict the potential threats from terrorist attacks and other enemy attacks. AI is further used in optimizing fighting strategies, predicting potential disruption, and increasing decision-making.

• In May 2024, an experimental orange and white F-16 fighter jet driven by the AI completed a successful test flight with Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall on board, marking a significant milestone in military aviation by introducing stealth technology.

Market Overview

Surface-to-air missiles are the modern defense mechanism or technology that is designed to protect against airborne threats from the enemy's missiles. Surface-to-air missiles use different types of technology and guidance systems that help analyze the speed and type of the coming missile and neutralize the threat of the upcoming missiles. These types of missiles are launched from the ground surface with the help of different propulsion systems. The rising investment in defense technology boosts the growth of the surface to air missiles market.

Surface to Air Missiles Market Growth Factors

• Rising defense mechanism: The increasing economic development in the countries and the demand for improved defense systems to enhance the safety of the country drive the growth of aircraft and other military applications, driving the growth of the surface to air missiles market.
• Rise in technological integration: The increasing inclination towards advanced technologies in aircraft and other military applications for the efficient detection and monitoring of enemies' locations and activities. Adaptation of advanced technologies into the aircraft system further drives the growth of the market.
• Government support: The rising government investment and initiatives taken to increase the defense system and strengthen it by involving the different technologies and advanced aircraft systems in the military or Air Force drive the expansion of the market.

Market Scope

Market Dynamics

Drivers

Increasing focus on military and defense system

The rising focus on the development of the military and defense system by economically developing countries is to strengthen their defense. The increasing cases of conflicts between countries drive the demand for robust defense mechanisms for dealing with unexpected war-like conditions and for defense missiles to prevent and attack the enemy's missiles from the long range. Furthermore, increasing awareness regarding homeland security drives the growth of the surface to air missiles market.

Restraint

Availability of alternative

The increased availability of alternative defense technology for locking and destroying enemy missiles with better cost efficiency restraints the growth of the surface to air missiles market.

Opportunity

The advancements in defense aircraft

There is a rising investment in defense aircraft to improve efficiency and robust protection against enemy missiles. The integration of advanced technologies into defense aircraft, such as additive manufacturing, robotics and automation, stealth technology unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs),autonomous aircraft, avionics systems, electric propulsion, smart weapons, supersonic flight, and others.

Type Insights

The medium-range surface-to-air missiles (MR-SAMs) segment accounted for a considerable share of the surface to air missiles market in 2024. The medium-range surface-to-air missiles are highly used by the defense system to provide optimum security levels to the country and strengthen the country's defense mechanism. The medium-range surface-to-air missiles are highly used by the different variants of the defense system, including the navy, army, and air force. The medium-range surface-to-air missiles offer quick response and reaction, vertically launched and made for destroying enemies' aerial attacks like guided bombs, aircraft, missiles, and helicopters.

The short-range surface-to-air missiles (SR-SAMs) segment expects notable growth during the forecast period. Short-range surface-to-air missiles are one of the highly advanced technology defense systems that are majorly used in the ship-borne weapon system to destroy or neutralize air threats of short ranges. The short-range surface-to-air missiles are designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation. Its maximum speed is Mach 4.5, with the maximum capacity of altitude of 16 km.

Propulsion System Insights

• In 2024, the solid rocket motors segment held the dominating position in the surface to air missiles market. The solid rocket motors are one of the important parts of the defense mechanism. Solid rocket motors are engines or motors that are used in different military applications, such as surface-to-air missiles and air-to-air missiles. It helps detect targets and efficiently helps them lock and defeat them. These are used in the modern aerial defense system, having the energy to accelerate missiles weighing 150 kg and Mach 3.5 speed within a second.

The liquid rocket motors segment expects substantial growth during the predicted period. The liquid rocket motors can be monopropellant or bipropellant, which consists of two or more different oxidizers, liquids, and fuels. Liquid rocket motors are used for long-range rockets and missiles. These types of rockets are used more precisely and efficiently than liquid rocket motors.

Guidance System Insights

The infrared homing systems segment led the surface to air missiles market in 2024. The adoption of infrared homing systems are adopted by surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles type; it is the passive guidance system that uses the infrared homing system for efficiently targeting enemy missiles; it is not easily detected by the enemy radar, which dissolves the chances of less jammed or interception.

The semi-active radar homing systems expect the fastest growth in the market during the forecast period. The semi-active radar uses an illuminated target or some external source. This type of radar homing is used in the surface-to-air or air-to-air missile system. It is used as an anti-aircraft system and used in the all-weather guidance system.

Platform Insights

The land-based segment dominated the surface to air missiles market in 2024. The increasing share of land-based surface-to-air missiles is due to the higher adoption of the defense system for improving the defense capacity and detecting and restricting the enemy's missiles. The land-based surface-to-air missiles are located on the land surface and designed to detect long-range enemies' missiles and efficiently target and destroy them before any harmful impact of their on-defense system. Additionally, the government's rising investment in technological advancements in aircraft and air defense systems further drives the expansion of land-based surface-to-air missiles.

The sea-based segment expects substantial growth during the predicted period. The rising expenditure on sea-based missile systems for improving and protecting the naval defense system. The sea-based surface-to-air missile system is located in the naval defense area and offers the optimum security to the naval defense system.

Application Insights

The air defense segment led the global surface to air missiles market in 2024. The increasing demand for strengthening the defense mechanism of the countries and the dispute around the neighboring countries around the world is driving the demand for a robust air defense system. Surface-to-air missiles are highly preferred by different countries for striking down the enemy's missiles by detecting their presence from a long range of distance. The rising investment in supporting the air defense system by several countries increases or strengthens the country's defense system.

The missile defense segment will witness the fastest growth in the predicted period. The increasing investment in aircraft technology and the adoption of different measures to protect military assets and infrastructure accelerate the demand for surface-to-air missiles for the early detection of the enemy's missiles from the long range and lock and destroy them before any damage to the missile defense system.

Regional Insights

North America dominated the surface to air missiles market in 2024. The growth of the market is attributed to the rising demand for stringing defense in regional countries like the United States, which drives the adoption of technologically advanced aircraft systems. The presence of the major aircraft manufacturing players with the continuous investment in technological integration into the defense mechanism drives the growth of the market in the region.

• The United States Air Force accounted to have 1,295 fighters at their disposal in 2025.
• The United States Army has 3,900 manned aircraft, most of the helicopters, and 700 large unmanned aerial systems in 2023.

Asia Pacific is expecting substantial growth in the surface to air missiles market during the predicted period. The rising economic development of countries like India, China, Japan, and others, as well as the investment in improving the defense systems of the countries, are driving the expansion of the defense and military industry. The rising foreign trade for importing and exporting defense technology and increasing technological integration in the missiles or aircraft technology accelerate the growth of the market across the region.

With continuous policy initiatives from the government and the contribution of the defense industry, defense exports from India expanded by INR 16,000 crore in FY 2022-23, increasing from 3000 crores to the previous year.

The Defence Acquisition Council approved the proposal worth INR 3.5 lakh crore to expand the operational preparedness of the Armed Forces.

Surface to Air Missiles Market Companies

• Thales Group
• BAE Systems
• Rafael Advanced Defense Systems
• Raytheon Technologies
• Almaz-Antey Air and Space Defence Corporation
• Diehl Defence
• Leonardo S.p.A.
• China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC)
• Kongsberg Defence Aerospace
• Bharat Dynamics Limited
• Northrop Grumman
• MBDA
• Rosoboronexport
• Lockheed Martin

Latest Announcement by Industry Leaders

• In January 2025, Thales and the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) came into a collaboration to host multiple international partners to introduce the Lightweight Multi-role Missile (LMM) and its properties in the surface attack role and air defense.

Segments Covered in the Report

By Type

• Short Range Surface-to-Air Missiles (SR-SAMs)
• Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missiles (MR-SAMs)
• Long Range Surface-to-Air Missiles (LR-SAMs)

By Propulsion System

• Solid Rocket Motors
• Liquid Rocket Motors
• Ramjet Engines

By Guidance System

• Infrared homing
• Semi-active radar homing
• Active radar homing

By Platform

• Land-Based
• Sea-Based
• Air-Based

By Application

• Air Defense
• Missile Defense
• Anti-Satellite Warfare

By Geography

• North America
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East & Africa