What Structural Design and Analysis does

Structural Design and Analysis (SDA) is a privately-held aerospace engineering services firm founded in 1997 and headquartered in Sterling, Virginia. The company provides structural design and analysis services to aerospace and defense clients, with a deep specialization in advanced composite and metallic structures. Its customer base spans major defense primes (Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Sikorsky, Gulfstream), emerging aerospace companies (Blue Origin, Boom Supersonic, Aurora Flight Sciences, Piper Aircraft), and government agencies (NASA), supporting programs that range from supersonic demonstrators (XB-1) and crewed spaceflight (Orion Crew Module, Human Landing System) to military aircraft (F-22, CH-53K, RQ-4 Global Hawk) and unmanned platforms.

SDA's core offerings divide into Structural Design Services — conceptual design, detailed design, composites consulting, CAD modeling, Design for Additive Manufacturing, and manufacturing support — and Structural Analysis Services, which include stress analysis, nonlinear analysis, dynamic analysis, computational fluid dynamics, flutter/aeroelasticity analysis, and structural optimization. The firm delivers these capabilities through industry-standard tools including FEMAP with NX NASTRAN, Simcenter 3D, STAR-CCM+, FlightStream, Fibersim, and major CAD platforms (SolidWorks, CATIA V5/3Dx, Siemens NX), supplemented by proprietary in-house analysis tools developed to build and maintain large finite element models and increase analysis efficiency. The firm has accumulated 30+ years of focused composite engineering expertise spanning pre-preg, infusion, and wet-layup fabrication methods.

SDA operates a project-based professional services revenue model, with engagements structured as time-and-materials or fixed-price contracts. Go-to-market relies on direct enterprise engagement, industry reputation, RFP responses, and relationship-based business development, supported by a company website, LinkedIn presence, YouTube channel, and industry event participation. The company is founder-owned and family-led, with Jim Jeans as Founder/CEO and Blake Jeans as President; leadership carries direct program experience on marquee aerospace platforms. The firm reports rapid and extensive growth over the past 10 years and is investing in hiring and capacity to pursue larger and more ambitious projects.

Name

Structural Design and Analysis

Legal name

Structural Design & Analysis, Inc.

Website

https://structures.aero

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Structural Design and Analysis is a private aerospace engineering services firm founded in 1997 that provides structural design and analysis — specializing in composite and metallic structures — to defense primes, emerging aerospace companies, and government agencies including NASA.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aerospace Engineering Services

NAICS

Engineering Services (541330)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Civil & Structural Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Primary Airframe Structures (Fuselage, Wing, Empennage) (IMABAEAA), Structural Repair, Modification & Composite Rework (Airframe) (IMABAEAH)

Keywords

• Aerospace structural design
• Composite materials engineering
• Finite element analysis
• Aerospace engineering services
• Structural analysis consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Sterling

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Engineering Consulting Services: Project-based professional services revenue model providing structural design and analysis services to aerospace and defense clients. Services span conceptual design through detailed design and manufacturing support. Revenue generated through time and materials contracts, fixed-price projects, and potentially cost-plus arrangements for government work.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Structural Design and Analysis provides specialized aerospace structural engineering services, spanning conceptual design, detailed design, composites consulting, manufacturing support, and a full suite of structural analysis capabilities (stress, nonlinear, dynamic, CFD, flutter/aeroelasticity, and optimization). Services are delivered to defense primes, emerging aerospace companies, and government agencies using industry-standard FEA and CAD tools, supported by 30+ years of in-house composite engineering expertise and proprietary analysis tools.

Product overview

Structural Design and Analysis (SDA) is an aerospace engineering services company providing a comprehensive portfolio of structural design and analysis services. The core offerings consist of Structural Design Services (conceptual design through detailed design and manufacturing support) and Structural Analysis Services (stress analysis, nonlinear analysis, dynamic analysis, CFD, flutter analysis, and structural optimization). The company specializes in composite structures with expertise spanning multiple aerospace sectors including space programs, civil and experimental aircraft, military aircraft, and UAV/UAM platforms. Services are delivered through major CAD platforms (SolidWorks, CATIA, Siemens NX) and analysis tools (FEMAP with NX NASTRAN, Simcenter 3D, STAR-CCM+).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Structural Design Services
• Structural Analysis Services Structural validation and optimization services using classical methods and industry-leading FEA and CFD software (FEMAP with NX NASTRAN, Simcenter 3D, STAR-CCM+), including stress analysis, nonlinear analysis, dynamic analysis, computational fluid dynamics, flutter and aeroelasticity analysis, and structural optimization for aerospace programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Designed and analyzed XB-1, the first privately developed jet to fly supersonic
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ATA Engineering: ATA Engineering provides structural analysis, FEA, dynamics, and aeroelasticity consulting to aerospace, defense, and commercial customers — a direct comparable in specialized structural analysis services.
• Analytical Mechanics Associates (AMA): AMA provides aerospace engineering analysis, structural dynamics, and FEA services to NASA, DoD, and aerospace primes — directly comparable to SDA's structural analysis offering.
• Phoenix Analysis & Design Technologies (PADT): PADT is an FEA, simulation, and engineering services firm using ANSYS and similar tools — comparable to SDA's FEMAP/NASTRAN-based structural analysis and design consulting practice.
• MTSI (Modern Technology Solutions Inc.): MTSI provides engineering analysis and technical services to DoD, intelligence, and aerospace customers — directly comparable in specialized engineering services for defense and aerospace programs.
• Swift Engineering: Swift Engineering offers aerospace design, prototyping, and composite manufacturing services for UAVs, spacecraft, and experimental aircraft — comparable niche aerospace engineering services firm with composite expertise.

Broad incumbents

• Belcan: Belcan is a large engineering services and staffing firm serving aerospace, defense, and industrial clients — a broader incumbent competing for the same structural engineering consulting work as SDA.
• Cyient: Cyient is a global engineering services provider with a significant aerospace structural design and analysis practice — a broader incumbent competing with SDA for outsourced aerospace engineering.
• QuEST Global: QuEST Global provides engineering services across aerospace structural design, analysis, and manufacturing engineering — a broader incumbent in the same outsourced engineering services category as SDA.
• Tata Technologies: Tata Technologies delivers aerospace engineering services including structural design, analysis, and manufacturing support to global OEMs and tier-1 suppliers — directly comparable in service offering, though at much greater scale.
• ALTEN: ALTEN is a global engineering and IT services firm with a substantial aerospace structural design and systems engineering practice — competes with SDA for outsourced aerospace engineering work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/structuraldesignanalysisinc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/2943988
• Xx.com/StructuresAero

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Structural Design and Analysis