The Paris Air Show, the largest event of its kind in terms of number of participants, will focus more than ever on the theme of defence and security this year due to the deterioration in the global security situation. According to the show's general commissioner Emmanuel Viellard, the exhibition area during the week-long event will be approximately 45% will be allocated to defense and securityThis represents a “strong increase” compared to the previous fair in 2023, while the remainder will focus on civil aviation.
Russia-Ukraine War and NATO's Call for Defense Budgets Have Been Effective
This year’s edition of the Paris Air Show, the world’s oldest air show, comes on the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and as NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte calls for higher defence budgets to cope with a more dangerous world that includes a growing Russian threat and an expanding China. The European NATO members’ spending plans include more unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), air and missile defence and air power. Diplomats and military officials have also been unsettled by Israel’s attacks on Iranian nuclear and military facilities in the early hours of June 13.
“We are in an environment where there is more attention to security issues and therefore more activity in the defense sector, much more conflict, compared to what we saw in 2023,” Guillaume Faury, Airbus CEO and president of the French Aeronautical Industries Association (Gifas), which runs the event, said at a press conference last week. These statements suggest that the show’s increased defense focus is a direct reflection of global geopolitical tensions.
Common Ground: A Platform for Discussing Security Issues
This long-established event, which is held every two years at Le Bourget Airport in the northeast of Paris, the capital of France, and which the French usually call the “Salon de Bourget”, was first organized in 1909 in the heart of the city under the name “Salon de la Locomotion Aérienne”.
Many industry stakeholders see this year’s fair as an important platform for military officials, defense ministries and industrial partners to “discuss security issues and the prospects for increased defense spending in Europe.” Faury said national delegations and military representatives also hope to meet with “all the players in this sector” in Paris.
Air Defense Priority Agenda
NATO's decision to prioritize air defense further reinforces the fair's defense focus. NATO Secretary General Rutte said earlier this week that alliance members must increase their air and missile defenses five-fold to counter the threat from Russia.
Exhibitors at this year's Paris Air Show include major defense suppliers. Raytheon, will provide information to visitors about the Patriot surface-to-air missile system; Diehl Defense will introduce its IRIS-T system. Other air defense suppliers participating in the fair include pan-European missile manufacturer MBDA and Norwegian Kongsberg These participations will reveal the latest developments and needs in air defense technologies.
Wide Range of Participants and Spectacular Air Shows
According to the organizers, the event will be attended by approximately 200 military delegations The 2023 edition of the biennial fair will attract a total of approximately 127.000 professionals, including 293.000 visitors had pulled.
Fair organizers say this year's fair will attract a total of approximately 1.110 visitors from France, 450 from the US, 120 from Italy and around 100 from the UK and Germany. 2.400 participants Guillaume Bourdeloux, CEO of the Paris Air Show, said the show will feature 57 of the world's top aviation companies, compared to 100 at the Farnborough Air Show in England. It will host the 83rd stated.
Visitors at the fair Dassault Aviation Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon ve Lockheed Martin's F-35Along with the flight demonstrations of other aircraft, approximately 150 aircraft These impressive flight displays and static exhibitions will provide unforgettable moments for aviation enthusiasts.
Security Measures and Exhibitions
The French Air and Space Force will display an Airbus A400M military transport aircraft at the fair and operate a temporary air base with air and drone defence systems to secure the skies over Le Bourget, demonstrating the high level of measures taken to ensure the safety of the fairgrounds.
The French Armed Forces exhibition also includes aircraft carrier versions Two versions of the Rafale fighter jet, Airbus Helicopters H225M Caracal tactical transport helicopter ve A SAMP/T air defense system equipped with MBDA's Aster missile These exhibitions showcase France's capabilities in military aviation and defense technologies.
The Paris Air Show continues to be one of the most important events shaping the future of the global aerospace and defense industry. This year’s heightened defense focus reflects current tensions and security needs around the world.
