About us

Who are we?

Welcome to DECADE-X, a digital ecosystem created by and for the aerospace and defence industry.

Companies of aerospace and defence are very interdependent and have to cope with multiple challenges such as staying ahead in a fast evolving technological landscape and ensuring seamless collaboration while protecting sensitive data.

That’s why we have been building the Digital ECosystem for Aerospace and DEfence, shortened as DECADE-X. We serve companies acting in the industry by developing a secure and sovereign digital environment for data sharing and collaboration between them.

In April 2025, we established a new association to lead the development and future governance of our digital ecosystem. This association will be in particular in charge of guiding, federating, standardise and govern the digital ecosystem.

What challenges do we tackle?

01

Strong growth of the whole aerospace industry

– Exponential demand has revealed supply chain weaknesses (shipping delays, material shortages, rising costs of supplies, compliance issues).

– Accompanying this growth, requires much more transparency and more efficient collaboration within the supply chain.

02

Conformity

Need for multi-tier traceability to address sustainability engagements (carbon footprint, substances and materials, recycling) as well as be compliant to export regulations in an unstable geopolitical context.

03

Digital continuity

This ensures that data remains accurate, accessible, and usable over time, regardless of technological changes. Without it, information can become siloed, fragmented, or even lost, leading to bad consequences for a business.

At DECADE-X we are more than an association, we are a community committed to helping our industry to tackle today’s challenges while preparing tomorrow.

Our key differentiating & success factors

– Scalable and multi-tier exchanges
– Data sovereignty per design
– Interoperable based on standards
– Small and Medium Entreprises (SMEs) adoption, easy access and adapted use case

How did we start?

In 2022 several partners from the aerospace and defence industry started an initiative to improve the supply chain with digital capabilities. This initiative progressed all around the months and found its maturity early 2023 with 18 industrial partners. This was the start of a confidential multi-company project called NextErA.

These partners shared their expertise and insights to lay down the foundations in order to build the aerospace and defence digital ecosystem among players such as manufacturers, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and large companies, all representing more than 20,000 suppliers.

2023

2024

Following this, the industry partners aligned on the strategic priorities by defining 4 key working areas: Development & Industrialisation / Supply Chain Resilience / Traceability & Conformity / Sustainability

Start DECADE-X association to give the industry a single voice to represent the digital ecosystem, hence lead the project on behalf of our industry. We are now moving from concept to reality with the recent launch of development of a Version 0 with a first limited scope, nevertheless essential to learn how to adopt such a new approach in order to prepare complex use cases.

2025

Our values

At the heart of our ecosystem are the values that drive our actions and guide our members toward collaborative success. These principles reflect our commitment to foster innovation, trust, and excellence across the aeronautics, aerospace and defence industries.

Sharing

Data sharing is at the center of digital collaboration, sharing is the fundamental value in order to progress together towards the new era.

Stronger together

We are committed to foster strong partnerships encouraging our members whatever the size, to share knowledge, insights, and technologies. Together, we aim to overcome challenges that no single entity could solve on its own.

Trust

Trust is the foundation of our collaborative efforts, and we prioritise the creation of a space where sensitive data is protected, confidential, and respected by all involved parties.

Our founders

Originating from a 2023 initiative where 18 leading industry players explored the concept and confirmed the value of Data Spaces for our industry, DECADE-X was formally launched in 2025 by founding members Airbus, BoostAeroSpace, Collins Aerospace, Liebherr, and Thales.

These founders and industrial players recognized the growing need for a secure and sovereign space for data sharing, as well as the importance of industry-wide standards to drive Supply Chain efficiency and excellence. Their collective vision laid the foundation for an organisation focused on optimising operations, setting standards, and creating new business opportunities for its members, ultimately positioning the industry for future growth and success.