Farnborough International Airshow to spotlight defense, electric air taxis
The global aviation industry is readying to converge on Farnborough, England, for its biannual air show.
Organizers expect a record-breaking 120,000 visitors at the event, which spans July 20-24, with an extra 5,000 square meters of exhibition space added to the sprawling pavilions this year. They say the primary driver is an influx of military exhibitors, shifting the show’s traditional 60-40 aerospace-defense split to an even 50-50.
“It’s a clear reflection of what’s going on in the world,” said spokeswoman Georgia Ward. “We do move with what’s going on around us.”
Increased global military tension since the 2024 event meant defense was already expected to feature heavily. But the cancellation of the Royal International Air Tattoo, which typically takes place just before the show, has intensified the growth.
Ward said this year’s event has seen an increase in media registration and planned high-level delegation attendance since the RIAT cancellation.
Farnborough also promises to play host to advanced air mobility flights for the first time, with demonstrations planned by English firm Vertical Aerospace and Vermont-based BETA Technologies.
Here’s what to watch:
Defense in focus
With the Middle East conflict blocking access to the Royal Air Force’s Fairford base and leading to RIAT’s cancellation, defense will now take center stage at Farnborough, predicts aerospace and defense industry analyst Sash Tusa.
Announcements that would have happened at RIAT are now expected to occur at Farnborough, he said. This includes the signing ceremony for the £8.6 billion in funding the U.K. has allocated to the Global Combat Air Programme — the U.K., Italy and Japan’s shared effort to develop a sixth-generation fighter — as part of the long-delayed U.K. Defence Investment Plan. The plan, initially expected to be unveiled late last year, was announced on June 30 and sets out a £15 billion ($20 billion USD) increase in military spending on equipment and services to get the country’s armed forces to a state of “warfighting readiness.”
The signing ceremony offers an illustration of both the increased importance of defense at the show and the continued financial security of the effort, according to Tusa. POLITICO reported this week Canada may join the program, with an announcement expected on July 21.
“The fact that the Defence Investment Plan has more or less fully funded that from the U.K. side is tremendously important,” Tusa said. “A month ago, there was real concern that if the U.K. did not properly fund [GCAP], it might go the way of SCAF,” referring to the failed European fighter jet program.
Also at Farnborough, Boeing is slated to show off an MQ-28 Ghost Bat collaborative combat aircraft, and a U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II fighter will take to the skies for its only European flying display this year, according to show organizers.
In another shift, emerging technology will have an increased presence, organizers said, with 22% of exhibitors first-time attendees, in sectors from artificial intelligence to drones.
Electric air taxis take to the skies
For advanced air mobility industry watchers, Farnborough will offer two flying displays. According to show organizers, Vertical is bringing one of its VX4, an electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft, for its first flying display at a major commercial air show, while BETA Technologies will fly one of its ALIA CX300, a conventional takeoff and landing design.
A Vertical spokesperson confirmed the planned flight, which is “subject to the usual flight test conditions including weather,” while BETA didn’t respond to a request for comment.
Roland Berger analyst Stephan Baur said this show marks the maturation of the nascent air taxi industry compared to the 2022 event, which was the first time these aircraft were prominently featured.
At the time, the whole air taxi topic was “something special,” he said. “They were not very integrated in aerospace.”
The consolidation that has taken place in the sector over the past few years, including the folding of Lilium and acquisition of Volocopter by Chinese-owned Diamond Aircraft Industries, means fewer companies, he added — but the survivors are in much better shape and moving forward.
Volocopter and Boeing subsidiary Wisk are skipping the show to focus on heavy summer flight testing, company spokespeople confirmed. However, Joby Aviation said it will offer shared helicopter flights to the show via its recent acquisition, Blade, and top executives from Archer Aviation are slated to attend.
Possible Airbus A220 announcement
Among the topics to watch next week, Tusa said, is an Airbus announcement that it will begin development of a stretched version of the A220.
Customers are seeking a larger version of this regional design that Airbus acquired from Bombardier in 2017. A stretch would add around five rows of seats, allowing the plane to seat around 180 passengers, compared to a maximum of 160 currently. This capacity would fill a gap in the market between regional jets and the current crop of single-aisles.
Reuters reported in January the company was looking to kickstart pre-sales for a stretch model, though a June Reuters article said the plan is now “in limbo.” Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury said in a recent interview with Aviation Week the stretch remains a question of when, not if, but that “‘when’ is not today.”
Even so, Tusa said he is watching “all of the press coverage being generated, and I think this is building up to launch.” An Airbus spokesman said a stretch would be “a great addition to the market” and that the company is exploring all options.
