THE RACE TO ELECTRIFY THE SKIES IS UNDERWAY. BY 2030, THE GLOBAL AIRCRAFT ELECTRIFICATION MARKET WILL HIT $20 BILLION, BUT WITHOUT RETHINKING WIRING AND CABLE, THE FUTURE OF ELECTRIC FLIGHT MAY STALL BEFORE TAKE-OFF.
However, such an overhaul requires uniquely designed interconnect components to meet a new set of stringent needs. Electricity-powered or data-driven aerospace and military systems require higher power density wiring to manage high-voltage architectures above 300 volts (V).
In today’s electronic avionic systems, 1 kilovolt (kV) supports high-power sensors, electrified propulsion or an aircraft’s environmental system. This must be paired with lightweight cable solutions, that not only ensure weight and space optimisation, but also enhance electromagnetic compatibility and improve thermal management.
This whitepaper explores how electrification is reimagining aerospace wiring. With voltages rising, we explore how lighter materials like fibre optic and composite shielding in airframes assist in making the next generation of electric aircraft a reality.
It also addresses the supply chain’s role, detailing how visibility and thermal management help to keep distributors up to speed with evolving industry standards and safety regulations.
ELECTRIFYING THE SKIES
Electric actuation poses as the next shift in modern aerospace applications. Mirroring that of the automotive industry over the last decade, high-voltage cable systems replace heavy mechanical components in hydraulic systems to enable hybrid or fully electric propulsion systems in an aircraft. Electrified skies demand more signal and power routing, as future thresholds could reach up to 6kV for fully electric aircraft. And it’s not just high-power. Like in modern EVs, electric actuation in aviation requires unique thermal management protocols while controlling weight distribution.
IT’S A CHANGE THAT HOLDS IMPORTANCE ACROSS BOTH COMMERCIAL AND DEFENCE SECTORS IN AEROSPACE. FOR THE US MILITARY, GOALS HAVE BEEN SET TO HYBRIDISE THE ENTIRE FLEET OF US MILITARY NONTACTICAL VEHICLES BY 2035 AND THE COMMERCIAL AVIATION INDUSTRY HAS BEGUN PURSUING ELECTRIFICATION TO MEET THE INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION ORGANISATION (ICAO) GOAL FOR THE INDUSTRY TO BE NET-ZERO BY 2050.
Whether it’s for passenger services systems, providing high-speed data transfers like cabin Wi-Fi or unmanned aerial systems (UAS) used for military surveillance, this electrical evolution relies on a synergy of smart design features.
FROM HYDRAULICS TO HIGH POWER
The switch from mechanical and hydraulic systems to power-dense electrical systems introduces a new set of wiring challenges. Designing airworthy components for these systems means striking a balance between weight management and durability.
High voltage systems are primarily used in electric aircraft systems thanks to their improved efficiency and lightweight properties. Thin copper (Cu) or aluminium (Al) conductors work in collaboration with thicker polymer-based insulation layers, to improve the flow of current through the wire, enabling power delivery with smaller, lighter components.
One such example, the M22759/33 silver-plated ETFE aircraft wire supplied by WireMasters, heightens voltage capability with a copper-alloy conductor and modified ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene insulation. Its high voltage rating of 600V and lightweight profile make it suitable for both military and commercial airframe wiring, environmental control systems and electronic or hybrid propulsions seen in next gen aircraft.
Cross-linked ETFE insulation also enhances the wire’s tolerance to mechanical wear and high temperatures, with the M22759/33 withstanding up to 200ºC. In aerospace applications, this level of durability is vital to cope with extreme conditions like altitude.
It also contributes towards safety standards as ETFE’s flame retardancy reduces ignition risk and mitigates ignitions that occur by slowing down spreading flames, a quality crucial for electrified aircraft which are packed with hundreds of electrical components.
EVERY GRAM COUNTS
FUNDAMENTAL LIGHTWEIGHTING THAT COMES WITH AEROSPACE ELECTRIFICATION IS OFTEN DETERMINED BY CORRECT MATERIAL SELECTION. IN EFFORTS TO MINIMISE WEIGHT, OEMS INCORPORATE FIBRE OPTIC COMPONENTS OR COMPOSITES LIKE CARBON FIBRE REINFORCED POLYMERS (CFRP) INTO THEIR CABLE SYSTEM DESIGNS.
FIBRE’S FUNDAMENTALS
Fibre optic cables and connectors are a well-rounded option when it comes to high power signal transmission in electrified aircraft. In aerospace applications, fibre optic cabling saves approximately 50 per cent in weight. This paired with fibre optic’s high bandwidth, which enables average data transfers up to one gigabyte per second (Gbps), solves the weight and power challenges in next gen avionic systems.
Additionally, fibre optics’ unique resistance to EMI, means that it avoids power-hungry EMI mitigation. In aerospace systems, EMI protection allows electronic systems to perform without data corruption and signal loss, minimising risk of system failure.
And with over 100 components operating in one aircraft, the more components mean more crosstalk and internal EMI risk.
“FIBRE OPTIC CABLING CAN WEIGH ONLY ABOUT 38 PERCENT OF EQUIVALENT COPPER ETHERNET WIRING”
By removing resistance losses and signal amplification, fibre optics enable low‑loss data transmission with reduced energy consumption. In electrified and data-driven aircraft like unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), power budgets are constrained. Some UAV core systems require power ranging from tens to several hundreds of kilowatts (KWs) depending on their size. Innovations in fibre optics consume minimal energy, allowing for core systems used for UAV propulsion or electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (EVTOLs) to consume most of the power budget.
COMPOSITES IN CONNECTIVITY
Alternatively, CFRPs are a popular material choice in aircraft skins thanks to their strength to weight ratio, saving 20 per cent more weight compared to light metal alloys. Used widely across both commercial and defence jets, such materials are already popular, making a name for themselves after their use in the first fully composite aircraft the Boeing 787.
The strength to weight ratio is the main advantage, driving CFRP’s approximated operational lifespan of up to 50 years.
WireMasters advises OEMS to pay closer attention to EMI mitigation when CFRP is used, especially in next gen aircraft. This is because it lacks the naturally occurring shielding of internal wiring and avionics, a feature provided passively by aluminium skins. CFRP used in next gen airframes is not conductive, therefore it cannot block or attenuate EMI effectively.
This creates greater reliance on cablelevel shielding, which uses braided composite shields along with metal foil to maintain signal integrity that complies with standards like MIL-STD- 461 and DO-160 EMI/EMC.
CFRP HAS A TENSILE STRENGTH THAT RANGES FROM 1500 (MPA) TO 7000 MPA
ALUMINIUM ALLOY HAS A YIELD STRENGTH OF UP TO 700 MPA
CFRP has a tensile strength that ranges from 1500 megapascals (MPa) to 7000 MPa, depending on temperature exposure. This is significantly higher than one of the strongest alloys used in aerospace applications, 7068 aluminium alloy, which has a yield strength of up to 700 MPa. Such strength levels in CFRP minimise material failures in an aircraft and for electrified aircraft it limits weight necessary for propulsion without compromising the aircrafts durability.
In the defence sector, as deployment of next gen aircraft like drones is becoming a priority, so should EMI protection when composites like CFRP are used. The increased use of UAV’s increases the risk of electronic warfare, specific attacks that interfere with signal integrity, causing mechanical failures. Additional measures like cablelevel shielding protect the UAV’s from these attacks, enabling mission success and is effectively implemented when working with trusted distributors.
OVERCOMING ELECTRIFICATION SUPPLY GAPS
Aerospace’s movement in electrification and data driven vehicles leaves some logistical gaps across the procurement process.
Key problem areas include fragmented standards, supply chain visibility and high voltage safety. Without mitigation, these limit the progression towards electrified next gen aircraft.
Fragmented standards implicate the early stages of next gen aircraft engineering programmes, because of repeated reworks in electrical architecture, like cable specs, in electrified aircrafts.
This is because there is no set standard, such as MIL-SPEC for military and defence cable systems, for high voltage aircraft systems, leaving designers to predict and invent technical rules ad hoc during development.
While groups like SAE International are actively creating guidance for such systems, OEMS and suppliers must deter against multiple standards across engineering programmes.
The aerospace supply chain is also currently suffering. Post-pandemic and geopolitical factors have contributed towards industry-wide backlogs or supply chain problems, delaying deliveries for some projects by up to three years, as seen with Airbus earlier in 2025. Full supply chain visibility is a competitive capability for component distributors in aerospace markets.
Being able to trace components and provide real-time visibility into sub-tier component availability helps to reduce stoppages across the supply chain, therefore reducing project delays.
This is crucial as the industry invests time, money and resources into electrified aircraft.
As regulatory standards change and redesigns occur, supply chain visibility keeps design and test cycles short, reducing risks of design errors.
Without clear oversight of component availability, quality assurance and supplier readiness, even small disruptions can develop into prolonged delays that threatens project timelines and escalates costs.
Mitigating these risks at the design stages of a project, allows for continued innovation in next gen aircraft and accelerates progress towards initiatives like net-zero, or the goal to hybridise non-tactical air defences by 2035.
Finally, high voltage electrification, exceeding 1,000 volts, brings new electrical-physics risks that are both safety critical and supply sensitive. At high altitudes, lower air pressure allows electricity to leak through air more easily, even though tiny insulation gaps. This makes high voltage systems in aircraft more prone to corona discharge and arching, both types of electrical discharge accelerate insulation aging causing dielectric breakdown or in extreme cases complete component failure or fires.
BOTH PTFE AND POLYIMIDE CAN WITHSTAND UP TO 260°C CONTINUOUSLY, HOWEVER SUPPLIERS MUST PROVIDE CORRECTLY RATED PRODUCTS TO ENSURE SAFETY WITH OEMS.
Corona-resistant insulation like polyimide (PI) or other heat tolerant materials like Teflon (PTFE) are therefore critical in the designs of high voltage electrified aircraft, like vertical take-off and landing (VTOLs) aircraft. Both PTFE and polyimide can withstand up to 260°C continuously, however suppliers must provide correctly rated products to ensure safety with OEMs. Distributors must demonstrate insulation systems and harness assemblies fully compatible with corona or partial discharge limits and provide valid thermal ratings sourced from assisted tests like partial discharge testing and certification support.
WHY CHOOSE WIREMASTERS?
Sourcing connectivity components from an authorised distributor like WireMasters ensures access to genuine, certified products that are tailored for high voltage aerospace and defence systems.
Its vast stock inventory of highperformance aerospace and military components is fabricated by globally renowned and qualified manufactures. Such products are backed by quality certifications like AS9100, CSA, ISO9001:2015, EN9120 and Mil-Spec traceability to ensure compliance and reliability in aerospace and military applications like UAV’s.
WireMasters also uses customised assemblies, harness processing and Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) to ensure fast-moving development cycles and reduce the risk of redesigns and deployment delays.
To find out more about WireMasters’ customisation service here, or subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news and insights.