A Press Conference was held on Thursday 09 April ahead of Eurosatory 2026, scheduled for 15-19 June at Paris Nord Villepinte expo park.
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Eurosatory Press Release, Paris, 10 April 2026:
Innovation and Cooperation: Preparing the defence of the future. The world has changed. The return of high-intensity warfare to the European continent, increasingly frequent regional crises, hybrid threats and attacks on critical infrastructure all serve as a reminder of one reality: the security of states and populations has once again become a central concern.
This trend is borne out in the figures. In 2024, global military spending rose to $2.718 trillion, a 9.4% year-on-year increase — the sharpest hike since the end of the Cold War. At the same time, European defence budgets have grown by more than 30% since 2021, illustrating the enduring resurgence of security concerns on our continent.
Against this backdrop, states are strengthening their military and industrial capabilities. The armed forces must prepare for more exacting engagements, in which technological innovation plays a decisive role.
Faced with these challenges, the defence industry is adapting. Since 2022, our companies have ramped up production, repatriated certain critical industrial capacities, secured their supply chains and invested heavily in innovation. They are playing their full part in preparations for a war economy, a move that many European countries have already embarked upon. France’s defence technological and industrial base is one of the cornerstones of this adaptability.
It currently employs 220,000 people across 4,500 companies, 55,000 of whom work in the land and air-land defence sectors. These companies – major groups, mid-sized firms, SMEs and start-ups – form a comprehensive, innovative and resilient industrial ecosystem, capable of designing and producing some of the world’s most advanced equipment.
But security cannot be achieved single-handedly. In an increasingly demanding international environment, characterised by the emergence of new industrial players and heightened technological competition, cooperation between nations and between manufacturers has become essential. It is precisely in this spirit that Eurosatory exists.
Over the past sixty years, the exhibition has established itself as the world’s leading event for land and air-land defence and security. Held every two years in Paris, it brings together the international community of armed forces, security forces, industries and public decision-makers.
Eurosatory is much more than a trade show. It is a strategic hub where technology, operational expertise and strategic vision converge. A place where nations come to discover innovations, build partnerships and prepare the defence and security capabilities of tomorrow.
The 2026 edition will showcase this international ambition once again. It will highlight the profound transformations taking place in the sector: the rise of drones and autonomous systems, the integration of artificial intelligence, the growing importance of data, and new requirements in terms of resilience and force support.
Today more than ever, Eurosatory is a forum for dialogue, innovation and cooperation. In a world where crises are on the rise and technological change is accelerating, security relies more than ever on three pillars: governments, the armed forces and industry. It is precisely this dialogue that Eurosatory facilitates.
- A place where industrial players and armed forces meet.
- A place where partnerships are forged.
- A place where the security of the future is planned.
I look forward to seeing you in Paris from 15 to19 June 2026 for this new edition.
Emmanuel LEVACHER, Chairman of GICAT & CEO of ARQUUS
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Understanding developments in defence and security means, first and foremost, grasping the sometimes highly diverse yet interrelated factors that are shaping the new world order, and identifying the challenges — some of which have yet to be fully anticipated — facing nations. Eurosatory possesses this vision, which means it can anticipate upcoming challenges and showcase the very latest trends.
Held every two years in Paris, the exhibition brings together the international defence and security ecosystem: armed forces, security forces, industries, institutions, experts and innovators. Eurosatory is where the operational needs of nations come together with the technological and industrial solutions designed to meet them. The 2026 show is already shaping up to be the largest in the exhibition’s history. We expect to welcome over 2,100 exhibitors. Nearly 36% of these are attending for the first time, illustrating Eurosatory’s vitality and growing appeal. This growth has led to the addition of a 20,000-square-metre exhibition hall and new outdoor spaces to accommodate an ever-increasing number of international participants.
Eurosatory showcases the entire defence and security value chain: from materials to systems of systems, from platforms to digital solutions, as well as the technologies and industrial capabilities needed to produce more quickly and on a larger scale. Operational environments are becoming increasingly challenging: cyberattacks, interference with navigation systems, information warfare, and threats to critical infrastructure. Eurosatory reflects this profound and definitive transformation of the defence ecosystem.
Alongside the established players in the defence technology and industrial base, a new generation of Deep Tech companies is arriving on the scene. These businesses, operating in fields such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, microsatellites, advanced sensors and autonomous systems, are delivering disruptive, dual-use and groundbreaking technologies, and contribute to accelerating innovation. In their wake, private investment in the defence sector is expanding. Consequently, a hub has been dedicated to investors and banks for the very first time at the show.
On the security front, threats are continuing to spread and evolve: they now affect new areas ranging from zones where authority is becoming fragmented to hybrid environments where violence is running rampant in both physical and digital spheres. In this shifting landscape, geopolitical tensions are compounded by increasingly acute humanitarian and environmental crises, underscoring how stability and the protection of populations still remain central challenges for governments and their partners.
Beyond the exhibition, Eurosatory is also a key forum for strategic reflection and dialogue. The 2026 edition will feature over 100 talks and panel discussions bringing together nearly 450 international speakers. More than 330 official delegations from 100 countries are expected to attend, underscoring the event’s central role in the global conversation on defence and security issues.
Today more than ever, Eurosatory places national defence and security at the crossroads of global geopolitics, the industrial world and technological, environmental and societal developments. I look forward to seeing you in Paris from 15 to 19 June 2026 to explore this new edition and work together to find solutions to the strategic challenges of our time.
Charles BEAUDOUIN, Eurosatory Exhibition Director
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