Global Loitering Munition Market Set for Steady Growth to $815.3 Million by 2029
Delray Beach, FL, Aug. 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The report "Loitering Munition Market by Type (Recoverable and Expendable), Launch Mode (Air Launched Effect, Vertical Take-Off, Catapult Launched, Canister Launched, Hand Launched), End User, Range and Region - Global Forecast to 2029" The Loitering munition market is valued at USD 529.9 million in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 815.3 million by 2029, at a CAGR of 9.0% from 2024 to 2029. The volume loitering munition market is projected to grow from 3,942 (units) in 2024 to 5,917 (units) in 2029.
The need for precision strike capabilities in military operations is therefore the primary driving factor in the loitering munition market. Armed forces around the world have also been increasingly concerned with collateral damage reduction through effective fleeting and high-value target engagements, hence making loitering munitions an important solution. These systems allow operators to loiter over a target area, gather real-time intelligence, and execute strikes with incredible accuracy. It is most useful in asymmetric warfare environments; wherein conventional war methods are likely to provide fewer gains.
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Major Key Players in the Loitering Munition Industry:
- AeroVironment, inc (US),
- Elbit Systems LTD (Israel),
- Rheinmetall AG (Germany) ,
- Uvision (Israel), and
- Israel Aerospace Industries (Israel).
Loitering Munition Market Segmentation:
Based on Type, the Expendable is estimated to account for the fastest growth in the market from 2024 to 2029.
The loitering munition market, in the expendable segment, is highly in demand because they are cheap and operationally efficient. The expendable loitering munitions, known as "kamikaze drones," is a single-use system allowing military forces to engage high-value targets without the recovery or reuse of the said systems. It is made especially appealing where quick deployment and accurate strikes are of utmost importance. As the military organizations are now looking for the solutions which provide a tactical advantage at budget prices, then the demand for these systems is rising with every passing day. The rising concern towards asymmetric warfare and the need for real-time intelligence will spur adoption in various defense industries. Surveillance and strike missions require long range as well as more endurance, so market will move towards the fixed wing category.
Based on End User, the Army segment is estimated to account for the largest share of the loitering munition market from 2024 to 2029.
The Army segment is one of the prominent end-user categories for the loitering munition market, which indicates rising interest in improving the operational capabilities of ground forces. With changes and complex battlefields, highly demanded by armies, Loitering munitions are at the forefront. This technology provides improved situational awareness with ground troops. They collect intelligence and engage targets based on precise information while damaging limited collateral. Therefore, adding these systems to military designs enables the units to go on reconnaissance missions successfully with due response to emergent dangers that lurk within the battlefield horizon.
The North American market is projected to contribute the largest share from 2024 to 2029 in the loitering munition market.
North America is one of the most prominent regions of loitering munition market growth. The market will be growing with a CAGR of 10.4% during this period. The United States is the leading player in the market, for it has maintained a solid defense budget and modernizes its military capabilities, meaning it is of great repute. Flow of escalating funds into advanced technologies allows the deployment of loitering munitions to flow into the pockets of US forces that intend to improve their operational efficiency in different combat scenarios.
The second reason for the growth of the market of loitering munition in North America is changing geopolitical considerations and warfare strategies. With warfare becoming increasingly asymmetric, complicated, and complex, such weapons and systems are very much needed with real-time intelligence capability along with precision strike capacities. This has been increasing military expenditure in North America and the countries have been investing much on the latest defense technologies. Modernization of the forces is still on in the US Army and other such forces enhance the significance of the loitering munitions in the current war and therefore, North America assumes the position in the emerging market.
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Loitering Munition Market Key Takeaways
- By growing demand for precision and AI-enabled strike systems, North America is expected to dominate the loitering munition market, driven by high defense budgets and adoption of smart autonomous weapons for urban combat and counter-terrorism.
- By integrating AI and EO/IR sensors into loitering munitions, the global market is experiencing a technological shift that enhances precision targeting, enabling real-time decision-making in fast-changing battlefield conditions.
- By rising emphasis on border security and counter-insurgency, regions like Asia Pacific and North America are accelerating the deployment of loitering munitions to monitor remote terrains such as the India-Pakistan and US-Mexico borders.
- By focusing on cost-effective reuse, the recoverable loitering munition segment is projected to grow fastest, reaching USD 276.9 million by 2029, offering operational flexibility and reduced mission costs across Europe and Asia Pacific.
- By continued R&D investments and new product launches, major players in the US, Israel, and Europe are driving innovations that strengthen loitering munitions with longer endurance, heavier payloads, and swarming capabilities.
- By leveraging air-launched effect (ALE) platforms, loitering munitions are expanding rapidly in modern warfare, particularly in North America and Europe, enabling long-range ISR missions and suppression of enemy air defenses.
- By encountering high upfront acquisition and integration costs, several developing regions may face barriers in adopting loitering munitions, as budget constraints impact procurement decisions despite growing tactical demand.
- By addressing civil safety concerns and privacy risks, global regulatory bodies especially in North America and Europe must establish strict UAV operation protocols to support sustainable growth in the loitering munition ecosystem.
Recent Developments of Loitering Munition Market
- In October 2024, AeroVironment (US) received a USD 54.9 million delivery order from the US Army for the production of Switchblade loitering munition systems as part of a larger indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract with a USD 743 million additional contract ceiling.
- In October 2024, Anduril Industries (US), in collaboration with AeroVironment (US) and Teledyne FLIR (US), secured contracts from the US Marine Corps to develop loitering munitions for its Organic Precision Fires-Light (OPF-L) Program, aimed at modernizing strike capabilities for dismounted troops under the Force Design Initiative. The initial contracts total USD 27.5 million, with potential combined values up to USD 249 million by April 2026.
- In November 2024, MBDA (France) and Fly-R (France) unveiled the RD-120 Raijin, a loitering munition designed for high-precision, autonomous strikes. The RD-120 combines Fly-R’s engineering with MBDA’s expertise, offering flexibility and power.
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