Spain Becomes Fourth Country to Join Aero Excellence Initiative to Improve Supply Chain

Why It Matters

The move streamlines compliance, cuts assessment costs, and strengthens Europe’s competitive edge in aerospace manufacturing.

Key Takeaways

• Spain joins Aero Excellence, becoming fourth member.
• Initiative offers self‑assessment, bronze/silver/gold maturity levels.
• Validation reduces duplicate audits across European aerospace supply chain.
• Enhances operational, environmental, cyber resilience for suppliers.
• Airbus backs program as industry‑wide benchmark.

Pulse Analysis

The Aero Excellence initiative reflects a broader shift toward harmonized standards in the European aerospace sector. By consolidating self‑assessment tools and a tiered maturity framework, the program addresses the fragmented landscape of supplier audits that has long burdened manufacturers. This unified approach not only accelerates certification timelines but also creates a common language for evaluating operational robustness, environmental stewardship, and cyber security across borders.

For suppliers, the benefits are tangible. A single, recognized maturity rating—bronze, silver, or gold—can be leveraged in contracts, reducing the need for multiple, redundant assessments from individual OEMs. This efficiency translates into lower compliance costs and faster market entry, especially for small and medium‑sized enterprises seeking to break into the aerospace supply chain. Moreover, the emphasis on cyber resilience aligns with rising regulatory scrutiny and the sector’s increasing reliance on digital twins and connected manufacturing.

Strategically, Spain’s participation signals deeper integration of Southern European capabilities into the continent’s aerospace ecosystem. Coupled with backing from industry giants like Airbus, the initiative positions Europe to better compete against North American and Asian rivals by showcasing a cohesive, high‑quality supply base. As the program matures, it could evolve into a de‑facto global standard, further amplifying its impact on trade, investment, and innovation within the aerospace and defense industries.

Spain becomes fourth country to join Aero Excellence initiative to improve supply chain

By Charlotte Bailey · Feb. 12, 2026

The European supply chain support strategy aims to streamline self‑assessment and resilience.

Spain is to become the fourth country to join the European Aero Excellence International initiative, a multi‑national program intended to help suppliers self‑assess their own maturity levels and work towards building greater operational resilience. The announcement was made in December at the Hamburg Aviation Forum.

The relatively new scheme builds on a program first launched by the French Aerospace Industries Association (GIFAS) in 2023 and was co‑developed by respective national aerospace and defense associations. These include Germany’s BDLI and the UK’s ADS Group. A representative from each trade association is joined on Aero Excellence’s board by three national industrial members.

Under Aero Excellence, participating suppliers (categorized across five areas) are supported to self‑assess their own maturity level before an official assessment is made. Three levels of maturity (bronze, silver and gold) are then awarded by Aero Excellence assessors, a validation recognised industry‑wide and intended to negate lengthy separate and repetitive individual assessments.

Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury previously described Aero Excellence’s intention to establish a universally recognised “maturity benchmark” designed to “strengthen the operational, environmental and cyber excellence of our industries in order to meet future challenges and improve competitiveness.”