Year-end airline passenger traffic data released by IATA last Thursday served up hearty ground for optimism, but came with the caveat of ongoing concerns over supply-chain constraints on the industry’s ability to satisfy rising demand. The figures for the Asia-Pacific region were especially encouraging for airframers exhibiting at this week’s Singapore Airshow, with this part of the world dominating global market share.

In 2025, Asia-Pacific airlines accounted for 34.5% of revenue passenger kilometers—ranking ahead of Europe (26.6%), North America (21.8%), the Middle East (9.5%), Latin America and the Caribbean (5.4%), and Africa (2.2%). The region generated year-on-year load factor growth of 7.8% and a 6.5% boost in available seat kilometers, IATA’s measure of air transport capacity.

The 10th edition of the biennial Singapore Airshow opens this week with a new addition to its program: the inaugural Space Summit, a two-day conference and exhibition dedicated to the rapidly expanding global space economy.

Organized by Experia Events, the same company behind the Singapore Airshow, the Space Summit takes place on February 2 and 3 at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre at Marina Bay Sands in downtown Singapore.

Honeywell Aerospace Technologies sees the Singapore Airshow as an opportunity to highlight its expanding role as a behind-the-scenes technology provider for civil and military aviation programs across the Asia-Pacific region, with a particular focus on autonomous systems, counter-drone capabilities, and resilient connectivity solutions.

The U.S. company, whose products are ubiquitous across all aerospace sectors, generates more than $17 billion annually in revenue from its aerospace business, with roughly 60% tied to commercial programs and the remainder to defense and space. Its international defense business now exceeds $2 billion, and customers in the Asia-Pacific region account for nearly one-third of that total, according to Matt Milas, president of defense and space at Honeywell Aerospace Technologies.

Vertical Aerospace expects the Asia-Pacific region to be the biggest market for early use cases of eVTOL aircraft such as the six-passenger Valo model it aims to bring to market in 2028. The UK manufacturer already has multiple prospective operators in that part of the world, including Japan Airlines, Air Asia, and leasing group Marubeni.

At the Singapore Airshow, Vertical is displaying a mockup of the Valo, which features several design changes from the VX4 prototype it has been flight-testing since 2022. The new design features what Vertical claims is a more aerodynamic airframe with an under-floor battery system, a redesigned wing, and new propeller architecture. The company said some of the changes have come at the suggestion of prospective launch customers.

The U.S. government has approved a potential sale for four Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime reconnaissance aircraft to the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), accompanied by eight lightweight torpedoes and adjacent support. The acquisition, valued at about $2.13 billion and approved by the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency on January 20, would complement the ongoing augmentation of maritime security capabilities for the Southeast Asian nation.

Singapore’s Ministry of Defence first announced its intention to acquire the P-8A last September. It has been evaluating the Boeing-built aircraft, as well as the competing Airbus C295MPA turboprop, to replace its aging Fokker 50 MPA Enforcers, which have been in service with 121 Squadron since 1993. Addressing Singapore’s Parliament in March 2025, defense minister Ng Eng Hen said that the RSAF had been “looking intently and evaluating appropriate replacements.”