PARIS — The Paris Air Show, the biggest event of its kind by number of exhibitors, will feature significantly more defense themes at this year’s edition compared to two years ago, driven by a deteriorating global security situation, the show organizers said.
About 45% of the show will be dedicated to defense and security, a “strong increase” from the previous show in 2023, with the remainder focused on civil aerospace, the general commissioner of the show, Emmanuel Viellard, said at a press briefing here last week by the French Aerospace Industries Association, or Gifas, which runs the event. The week-long show kicks off on Monday.
This year’s edition of the world’s oldest air show comes as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is in its fourth year, and as NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte calls for higher defense budgets to deal with a more dangerous world that includes a threatening Russia and expanding China. European NATO members’ spending plans include more drones, air and missile defense and air power.
In addition, Israel’s strikes on Iranian nuclear and military facilities in the early morning hours of June 13 have diplomats and military officials on edge.
“We are in a much more conflict-ridden environment, with increased attention on security issues, and therefore greater activity in the defense sector compared to what we saw in 2023,” Guillaume Faury, the CEO of Airbus and president of Gifas, said at last week’s press briefing.
The event is held every two years at Le Bourget Airport north-east of the French capital, with the French commonly referring to the show as the Salon de Bourget. The first Paris edition was held in the heart of the city in 1909, at the time called the Salon de la Locomotion Aérienne.
Many industry stakeholders see this year’s show as a place to meet military brass, defense ministries and industrial partners “to discuss security issues and prospects for increased defense spending in Europe.” Faury said. Likewise, national delegations and military representatives expect to be able to meet with “all the players in this sector” in Paris, he said.
NATO has singled out air defense as a priority, with Rutte saying earlier this week alliance members need to boost their air and missile defenses fivefold to counter the threat from Russia.
Among this year’s Paris Air Show exhibitors, Raytheon will brief visitors on the Patriot surface-to-air missile system, Diehl Defence will present its IRIS-T system, while other air-defense suppliers signed up for the show include pan-European missile maker MBDA and Norway’s Kongsberg.
Around 200 military delegations will attend the event, according to the organizers. The 2023 edition of the biennial show drew nearly 293,000 visitors, including some 127,000 professionals.
This year’s edition will feature 2,400 exhibitors, including around 1,110 from France, 450 from the United States, 120 from Italy and around 100 from both the U.K. and Germany, the show runners said.
The Paris Air Show will host 83 of the world’s top 100 aerospace companies, compared to 57 for the U.K.’s Farnborough Air Show, said Guillaume Bourdeloux, the CEO of the air show. Visitors will be able to see some 150 aircraft, with flying demonstrations of the Dassault Aviation Rafale, the Eurofighter Typhoon and Lockheed Martin’s F-35, as well as other aircraft.
The French Air and Space Force will display an Airbus A400M military transport at the show, and will operate a temporary air base with air and drone defenses to secure the skies over Le Bourget.
The French armed forces exhibit will also include two variants of the Rafale fighter jet including the carrier version, an Airbus Helicopters H225M Caracal tactical transport helicopter and a SAMP/T air defense system fitted with MBDA’s Aster missile.
Rudy Ruitenberg is a Europe correspondent for Defense News. He started his career at Bloomberg News and has experience reporting on technology, commodity markets and politics.
