When I arrived at the World Quality Week conference at the Rolls-Royce Learning & Development Centre a few weeks ago, it was immediately clear that this year’s theme, “Quality: Think Differently”, set a fitting challenge for Quality Engineering professionals across Aerospace and Defense. The focus on innovation, collaboration and digital transformation reflected both the pressure and the opportunity facing our sector. As I prepared for my keynote, “Zero Defects, Maximum Trust: Digital Quality, Real Results”, one question kept coming back to me: why does quality so often appear after the work is done, rather than guiding it from the very beginning?
For those of us working across aircraft development, defense systems, MRO and complex supply chain environments, this tension is familiar. Supply chains remain unpredictable, systems integration is becoming more demanding, and expectations around airworthiness, reliability and delivery schedules continue to rise. If we want better performance across programmes, quality has to be a first principle, not a final activity.
Shifting from Reaction to Readiness – A Key Discussion Point
“Quality inspection is like driving using the rear-view mirror; intelligence gives you the headlights to see what is ahead.” - This quote during one of the panel discussions immediately struck a chord. It captured a shared frustration across Aerospace and Defense: too many issues are spotted only after they have already created disruption.
We have seen the consequences of this across the industry in recent years. Publicly reported cases of structural non-conformities, shimming discrepancies, out-of-tolerance components and other late-stage quality findings have led to slowed deliveries, extended inspections and unexpected rework across both commercial and defense programmes. In some instances, operators have had to adjust fleet plans while manufacturers and suppliers worked through corrective actions with regulators. These examples are reminders of a simple truth: in Aerospace and Defense, late discovery rarely remains contained.
1Poor quality can absorb up to 20% of manufacturing revenue, and organisations adopting digital quality have seen defects fall by 230% and throughput improve by 10–25% (McKinsey). These figures reflect what many OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers and MRO teams already experience. While the opportunity is real, but it demands deliberate, disciplined use of digital intelligence across long, complex and highly regulated lifecycle environments.
Putting People at the Centre of Progress
One of the more grounded discussions in Derby centred on people. For all the focus on data, models and digital workflows, the room recognised a simple truth: Aerospace and Defense programmes still rely on engineers who can interpret information, exercise sound judgement and adapt when conditions shift. A point made during the session resonated strongly with the audience: “The industry does not just need new skills. It needs new ways of recognising human potential.”
It landed so well with us, because it reflects the reality of what all of us face today. We have deep technical capability across the sector, but we are also managing increasing demands on capacity, sharper digital expectations and a workforce that needs support to operate confidently in more intelligence-led environments.
Questions That Will Shape What Comes Next
As conversations unfolded across the conference, it became clear that the future of Aerospace and Defense quality will be shaped by choices we make now - about culture, capability and where we apply intelligence. Three questions in particular stood out:
1. Is digital quality being approached as a cultural shift rather than a system upgrade?
2. Are we treating quality as a strategic value driver rather than a compliance function?
3. Are our teams equipped for the next phase of Aerospace and Defense quality engineering?
These are not theoretical questions. They reflect shifts already underway in aircraft production, defense systems integration, MRO and in-service support areas where quality has a direct impact on safety, performance and commercial success.
Reflections That Point Us Forward
Standing in the Heritage Museum at the end of the day, surrounded by engines and engineering firsts that shaped the foundations of aerospace, it was hard not to think about how our own generation will be remembered. The challenges are different now, but the expectations are just as high. What emerged from the discussions in Derby was clear: the sector is ready for a shift, and quality has a larger role to play in that shift than many once believed.
At Cyient, this direction is already embedded in how we work. We support Aerospace and Defense organisations in strengthening decision-making, bringing clarity to complex programmes and embedding intelligence in ways that elevate, rather than replace, human capability. It is an approach shaped by the realities of our sector, long product lifecycles, stringent regulatory environments and the need for reliable, data-informed judgement across every stage of design, manufacture and sustainment.
If any of these themes echo what you are seeing in your own operations, I would welcome a conversation. Your next step in digital quality starts here!
References:
1https://asq.org/quality-resources/cost-of-quality
2https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/operations/our-insights/the-factory-of-the-future
About the Author
Nigel is the Sales lead for Cyient in the Aerospace and Defense market in the UK and EMEA region providing Engineering Services and Solutions to the largest, global OEMs and Tier 1 manufacturers of aircraft, engines and major systems. He has worked in the Aerospace and Defense sector for 25 years and in that time held a variety of roles: leading Tier 1 companies that manufacture components for airframes, engines and avionics as well as delivering supply chain services globally. For the last 12 years Nigel has led the design and delivery of enterprise-wide IT/OT solutions to OEMs and Tier 1 organisations in the UK.
In addition to his day job, Nigel is Chair of ADS’ Digital Transformation for Aerospace and Defense (DTAD) Special Interest Group. DTAD’s mission is to educate, facilitate and foster the adoption of next generation digital technologies in the UK Aerospace Sector.