Figure 2
The supply chain diagram is divided into upstream and downstream sections. The upstream side shows the defence industry flow from third-tier suppliers to second-tier suppliers, then to first-tier suppliers, and onward to original equipment manufacturers or prime contractors. These stages include raw materials, specialised parts, components, subsystems, and integrated systems. The downstream side shows defence customers, starting with government procurement agencies and ending with end customers responsible for operation and deployment. Arrows indicate forward flow of materials, systems, and capability from suppliers to customers, and reverse flow of money, requirements, and oversight. Each stage includes descriptive examples such as metals, avionics, engines, and defence ministries.Generic structure of a defence supply chain
Note(s): adapted from Lucas et al. (2024) and Antai and Hellberg (2024)