Despite the challenges associated with entering this market, three new regional jet producers have thrown their hats in the ring. The biggest success, and a major surprise, has been the Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ) Powered by Pratt & Whitney’s Pure-Power PW1000G Geared Turbofan, (GTF).

In October 2009, the MRJ scored a notable breakthrough with a tentative order for 50 firm and 50 option planes from Trans States Holdings, the parent company of Trans States Airlines and GoJet Airlines. A firm contract was expected by the end of the year, but did not arrive until February 2011. Also, in July 2012 Sky-West announced a tentative commitment for 100 MRJ90s. This order, for 100 firm and 100 option planes, was firmed up in December 2012.

In terms of units produced over the next 10 years, turboshafts account for 23% of the overall aero turbine market. Measured by value of engines produced, the 'shaft segment is only 4% of the total market.

The joint kings of the turboshaft market are General Electric and French manufacturer Turbomeca, a subsidiary of the Safran Group. The former leads handily in terms of value of units delivered, but they are at parity when unit deliveries are considered.

Electro-optical and infrared sensors (EO/IR) have been in service with European navies for many years. Newer systems combine better sensors with primary tracking and fire control on small ships. But the US Navy was late getting into the market (aside from submarine systems), and only ramped up buys after September 11, 2001. The market for systems for smaller ships and boats was initially cornered by FLIR Systems, Inc. (FSI), and these systems are treated in a separate report (see FLIR Systems, Inc. Naval EO/IR Sensors – also updated this month).

Teal Group’s most recent analysis of Future Naval Ship EO/IR Sensor Systems covers naval EO/IR systems at the sophistication level (and expense) of the Mk 46/Mk 20 or greater. This is a very different market from the FLIR Systems, Inc. (FSI) SeaFLIR and other simple FLIR balls, and indeed, the US Navy’s earlier Shipboard Protection System (SPS), though now cancelled, was developed as a parallel situational awareness system for naval ships – in addition to the EOSS. Our forecast may prove conservative, or else future developments to simpler SPS systems could eventually replace the higher-end EOSS-type gun systems. The US Navy’s future plans are currently unclear, and international navies have typically bought the more prolific European naval EO/IR systems.