Le Bourget 2025: a showcase of Europe’s strategic autonomy or strategic ambitions?

The 2025 edition of the Paris Air Show at Le Bourget on 16-22 June confirmed a strong trend within the aerospace and space industries: a growing focus on sovereignty and defence. In response to ongoing global conflicts and rising international competition, Europe is placing renewed emphasis on strategic autonomy.

At Le Bourget, European industry leaders and public authorities announced major new partnerships and contracts in both the space and defence sectors. The event took place against a backdrop of strong economic recovery in aviation, marked by record revenues and an increasingly globalised trade environment. The civil-military dual use became even more visible, as did the need to reinforce regulatory compliance and manage contractual risks on the international stage.

In his speech, French President Emmanuel Macron highlighted the increasingly central role of the space sector in addressing contemporary challenges. Once dominated by public actors, space is now largely privatised and has emerged as a strategic field both in civilian and military domains. President Macron emphasised that space, like the maritime and cyber domains, has become a contested arena where national power is measured. The ability to lead in this domain will be critical for countries wishing to maintain their place among the world’s major powers.

Space at the crossroads of power, sustainability and cooperation

This year’s show placed particular emphasis on space initiatives, with the Paris Space Hub hosting numerous exhibitors, including many startups and innovative SMEs. One of the highlights came from the European Space Agency (ESA), which reaffirmed the need for a responsible and sustainable space sector. New signatories joined the ESA’s declaration on responsible space, aligning with the goals of the European Green Deal and the United Nations. Several companies from the ESA incubator showcased their progress in commercialising space services, including microgravity research and in-orbit operations.

The show also saw the unveiling of the "Pacte Espace," a structuring agreement between the French state and the space industry aimed at boosting civil collaboration and opening new markets to benefit the entire ecosystem. Dassault Aviation, for its part, presented a range of civil and dual-use projects, including an ambitious mixed-use spaceplane project, reflecting the spirit of innovation currently driving the French and European space industries.

Defence through innovation, autonomy and strategic alliances

On the defence side, the show highlighted both industrial innovations and government-backed programmes. Europe’s largest missile maker, MBDA, announced a low-cost drone project to be mass-produced through a partnership with a French aerospace SME and an automotive manufacturer. The French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) also announced several key programs to expand military space capabilities.

A 10-year framework agreement, worth up to €1 billion, was signed with Eutelsat for the Nexus program, designed to combine Syracuse geostationary satellites with a low Earth orbit constellation, notably OneWeb, to deliver secure military communications. Through this agreement, France commits to a dual-access model for OneWeb services, in line with the IRIS² European program, which it helped promote.

The DGA also announced an amendment to the Copernic contract to expedite the deployment of new digital tactical antennas developed by French startup Greenerwave. In addition, it awarded the Rivesalt contract to the company Aldoria, aimed at enhancing global space surveillance and orbital situational awareness at all altitudes.

Managing governance, investment and European sovereignty

The announcements at Le Bourget highlight Europe’s growing commitment to strengthening its sovereignty in critical areas such as independent access to space, defence capabilities, and strategic infrastructure. The increased backing of European programs reflects a clear intention to secure technological value chains within a common legal framework. At the European level, the Paris Air Show reaffirmed the central role of governance in both space and defence. ESA and national governments stressed the need for stronger coordination. Europe is now working to regulate the rapid growth of the New Space sector while continuing to support its established industry leaders.

Economically, these ambitions depend on large-scale investments that combine public funding with private capital. The long-term agreement between the DGA and Eutelsat illustrates the importance of sustained financing to maintain secure military satellite services. At the same time, industry players are forming cross-sector partnerships to manage risk and lower costs, MBDA for example, is exploring links with the automotive sector, while Airbus, Thales and L3Harris are strengthening their defence related collaborations