Two years on from the Covid bounce-back of 2022, the great and the good of the global aerospace and defense industry will file through the Farnborough gates eager to see whether the historic airshow has gotten its power and influence back.
Farnborough Airshow veterans will recall epic past shows where Airbus, Boeing, and other airliner makers battled for bragging rights over who announced the biggest boosts to their order backlogs while performing captivating face-offs between combat aircraft.
However, in the second decade of the 21st century, the context for global airshows appears to have shifted. The motivations of major exhibitors have changed, with what appears to be a more pragmatic—and less braggadocious—set of priorities.
Take Boeing, for instance. Beyond a cross-section mock-up of a 777X cabin interior, the U.S. airframer has not brought any commercial aircraft to Farnborough, candidly acknowledging that its focus on implementing the safety and quality action plan the company has promised to execute as it works to restore trust in the wake of fatal accidents and serious technical failings.
Airbus is in a different place, albeit still grappling with ongoing supply chain and productivity issues that continue to challenge the industry. The European group graces this year’s Farnborough show with no fewer than 11 aircraft, including novelties such as the recently certified A321XLR narrowbody, the A330-900neo, and a slew of intriguing uncrewed platforms, including the Aliaca UAS, the Capa-X survey copter, and the Flexrotor and Wingman drones.
This year the Farnborough display list runs just short of 80 aircraft, including a strong contingent from Embraer with its E-Jet Freighter making an international debut alongside the E195-E2 airliner, the C-390 Millennium multi-role military aircraft, and the A-29 trainer. Leonardo has brought a drone duo in the shape of the Astore and the AWHero, as well as the AW149 helicopter and the M-346 attack aircraft.
Adversaries Are Absent
Noticeably absent is the Russian contingent that once thrilled the Farnborough crowds with jaw-dropping thrust vector virtuosity, but now is resolutely persona non grata on the international air show circuit since its leader’s invasion of Ukraine.
That violation, along with concerns over Chinese military posturing on the other side of the world, composed the mood music for the military aspect of this year’s show as NATO allies wrestle with new imperatives to boost defense spending to confront new threats. The European states in their number will doubtless be mindful of the prospect of American isolationism following the U.S. general election in November.
By some measures, the Paris Airshow now dwarfs Farnborough, with 2,500 exhibitors and 210,000 professional attendees versus 1,500 exhibitors and 80,000 trade visitors, respectively. Nonetheless, the Farnborough show remains a diverse cross-section of one of the most global of industries. Beyond the large European and U.S. presence, the international pavilion roster includes Australia, Malaysia, Japan, Mexico, Canada, South Korea, and Morocco.
Then the show highlights aviation's struggle for environmental sustainability—an existential threat and epic opportunity in equal measure. Showgoers will struggle to find an exhibitor not promoting their role in the collective effort to achieve net-zero carbon emissions. Among them, some of the most eye-catching appear among the new wave of eVTOL aircraft developers, including the UK’s own Vertical Aerospace, plus Supernal, Wisk Aero, Joby, Crisalion, and Lilium.
Some of the most exciting technology on display this year will be in the realm of propulsion, where innovators including hydrogen-power specialist ZeroAvia are staking a claim alongside engine-making aristocrats Rolls-Royce, GE Aviation, Safran, and Pratt & Whitney. Memories of the tarmac melting during the heat wave of the 2022 Farnborough show will doubtless keep climate change high on the industry’s agenda for this year's show and many to follow.