The aerospace and defense industry is doing well. New orders and shipments for aircraft and parts are up in the first half of the year enough to indicate the best year in more than a decade, according to the Aerospace Industry Association.

New orders throught June amounted to $98.9 billion , on track for twice that by the end of the year, or $197.7 billion, compared with $164.9 billion in 2004 and the best record since 1992. Shipments through June were $83.5 billion, a pace that would yield $167 billion by the end of the year, better than the $158 billion last year and the best since 1992.

"These numbers reflect a robust industry, and we are confident the good results will continue through the rest of the year," said AIA president and CEO, John Douglass.

Aerospace employment also continued a positive trend that began last year, adding 11,100 jobs since the end of 2004. A 50-year low of 578,700 was reached in February 2004 but employment has grown steadily since then.