Aerospace and defence have relied on high-strength aluminium for most of the last century. Composites and titanium have taken over some roles, but aluminium remains central to airframes, fittings, military vehicles and support equipment. What is changing is how it is specified, processed and sourced.
Why aluminium still matters
High-strength aluminium alloys offer a combination that is hard to beat: excellent strength for their weight, good machinability, mature and well-understood processing, and full recyclability. They are also cheaper and easier to repair than many alternatives, which counts for a lot in equipment that has to be maintained in service for decades.
The alloys doing the work
7075
Alloyed mainly with zinc, magnesium and copper, 7075 is one of the strongest aluminium grades in general use. In the T6 condition it is used for highly stressed machined parts: aircraft fittings, brackets, structural components and precision defence parts. It is generally not suitable for fusion welding, so it is usually machined from bar or plate.
7020
7020 aluminium combines high strength with weldability, and it recovers much of its strength after welding through natural ageing. That makes it a natural fit for welded structures such as military vehicle hulls and frames, bridging equipment and lightweight load-bearing assemblies.
6061 and 6082
These 6000 series alloys are less strong but easier to weld and form, with good corrosion resistance. They are used widely in ground support equipment, enclosures, frames and secondary structures.
Trends shaping demand
Lightweighting
Every kilogram saved on an aircraft reduces fuel burn over its life. On military vehicles, weight savings can be used for extra protection, payload or mobility. That keeps pressure on designers to use the strongest material for the job, and to remove material where it is not needed.
More machining from solid
Many aerospace and defence parts are now machined from a single piece of bar or plate rather than assembled from several parts. That reduces fastener count and assembly time, but it increases the amount of material removed. Efficient CNC machining and careful recycling of swarf become more important as a result.
Newer alloys and competing materials
Aluminium-lithium alloys and advanced composites are taking on some primary aircraft structure. Even so, conventional high-strength alloys remain the workhorses for fittings, defence vehicles and a wide range of components, because of their cost, availability and repairability.
Supply chain resilience and traceability
Recent supply disruption has made buyers far more interested in where material comes from and how reliably it can be supplied. Aerospace and defence customers expect full traceability, certified material and suppliers working to recognised quality systems. Having a dependable UK source for specialist grades is part of managing that risk.
Sustainability
Aluminium can be recycled with a fraction of the energy needed for primary production. Keeping high-strength grades segregated, so they can be recycled back into high-strength material, is becoming a bigger part of how the sector manages its environmental impact. We cover this in more detail in our article on recycling 7075 aluminium.
What buyers should look for
- Material certification and full traceability for every batch
- A supplier working to a recognised quality system such as ISO 9001
- Reliable access to specialist grades, not just the common ones
- The ability to cut, machine and process material to drawing, reducing handling and lead times
- Technical support on grade selection, especially when weldability or corrosion behaviour matter
Supporting aerospace and defence from Cannock
ILF Ltd is a UK stockist of 7020 aluminium alloy tube, and we also supply 7075, 6061-T6 and 6082-T6 from our Cannock, Staffordshire site. We work to an ISO 9001 quality system and offer cutting, CNC machining, punching and bending in-house. Find out more on our aerospace and defence pages, or contact our team to discuss your requirement.
