11 juillet 2025

Daily Impact European

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SIAE Bourget 2025: A Show of Strength on European Sovereignty

The 55th edition of the Paris Air Show took place in a tense international context, placing European sovereignty more than ever at the heart of political, industrial, and military priorities.

The 55th edition of the Paris Air Show took place in a tense international context, placing European sovereignty more than ever at the heart of political, industrial, and military priorities.

From the show’s opening, the tone was set: of the 2,400 exhibitors, including 1,124 French exhibitors from 48 countries, nearly 1,000 were from the defense sector. Three of the show’s six major themes—cybersecurity, drones, and space—were directly linked to technological sovereignty issues.

An entire day was dedicated to this theme, reflecting a deliberate shift toward strategic autonomy, against a backdrop of growing tensions at the gates of Europe and in the Middle East.

The Minister of the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu, unveiled a series of major measures designed to strengthen France’s strategic autonomy. From space to very high altitudes, from drones to missiles, the ambition is clear: to adapt our military capabilities to contemporary threats.

Sébastien Lecornu formalized the creation of the Space Pact on June 17, a structuring charter between the Ministry of the Armed Forces, the French Armaments Agency (DGA), GIFAS, the NewSpace France Alliance, and major players such as the French National Center for Space Studies (CNES) and ONERA. The objective: to intensify dialogue between the armed forces and the civil and military space industry. « This pact will bring together industry and our armed forces and set a direction, » stated Sébastien Lecornu.

Emmanuel Macron, during his visit to the show: « Low-orbit constellations are a decisive segment for the telecommunications of tomorrow, poised for strong growth. » The President stated: « We cannot accept that we, or our partners, must switch to or depend on non-European low-orbit constellations. » Today, with Eutelsat and OneWeb, we have a monopoly on the Leo constellation – neither American nor Chinese. It’s a strategic treasure. » In this context, the DGA signed a framework agreement with Eutelsat to launch the NEXUS program. The goal: to strengthen military space communications with a low-orbit constellation.

On the weapons front, MBDA unveiled the « One Way Effector » armed drone project, with 1,000 units to be produced monthly starting in 2027, at a unit cost well below that of a missile. « The goal is to mass-produce at very low costs, » explained Stéphane Reb, Managing Director of MBDA France.

These projects are part of a war economy approach, according to the Minister of the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu: « Rather than making up for a 15- to 20-year gap, we are aiming for a technological leap of a generation by 2029-2030. »

A powerful symbol of this strategic shift is the announcement of the French government’s €717 million investment in Eutelsat, now merged with OneWeb. With more than 600 satellites in low orbit, the new entity is positioning itself as a credible European alternative to Starlink.

A ten-year framework agreement between Eutelsat and the French Ministry of the Armed Forces, worth up to €1 billion, was signed to secure military communications. This support strengthens the European Iris² program, a sovereign constellation of 290 satellites planned for 2030.

To ensure agile, reusable, and cost-effective access to space, the DGA and Dassault Aviation also signed an agreement for the development of the Vortex-D space demonstrator, funded to the tune of €30 million. Designed to validate critical hypersonic flight and atmospheric reentry technologies, this project « will enable rapid, maneuverable, inexpensive, and reusable access to space, to carry out both civilian and military missions, » declared Sébastien Lecornu.

The demonstration was clear: Europe wants to equip itself with the means to protect its interests without depending on unreliable allies.

Projects such as anti-drone radars, onboard artificial intelligence, and dual-use satellites have illustrated this desire to regain control of critical infrastructure. « 2025 is the year of space, » affirmed Guillaume Faury, CEO of Airbus, emphasizing the ambition to « structure a coherent and competitive French and European space sector. »

« The geostrategic environment is leading us to consolidate the defense component, a point that was secondary in previous years, » acknowledged Frédéric Parisot, General Delegate of GIFAS.

In this climate, the desire of certain member states to strengthen their strategic autonomy takes on its full meaning. In March, the European Union adopted a €150 billion rearmament plan, dedicated in particular to cybersecurity and the aerospace industry.

Faced with multiple threats and a still-significant technological dependence, Europe is moving—cautiously but resolutely—toward a chosen sovereignty. It remains to transform this show of force into sustainable and funded actions.

At the same time, tensions between Iran and Israel are escalating. Recent US strikes in the Gulf, as well as threats to the Strait of Hormuz, have rekindled fears about European energy security. Added to this is the persistent uncertainty surrounding the United States’ commitment to European defense, exacerbated by Donald Trump’s ambivalent positions on Article 5 of the NATO treaty.

But European sovereignty does not mean withdrawal or autarky. The partnership between the American company Anduril and the German company Rheinmetall for the manufacture of combat drones is a reminder: the integration of allied technologies within a European framework remains a reality.

For Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall, this hybrid model strengthens Europe without sacrificing its transatlantic roots: « It’s about European production using shared technological building blocks. »

The French Ministry of the Armed Forces and Dassault Aviation have formalized a strategic agreement: the signing of a support agreement for the development of the Vortex-D space demonstrator.

The project, also supported by the European Space Agency (ESA), is part of the 2024-2030 Military Planning Act, which has a €10 billion innovation component. It aims to develop a family of reusable spaceplanes, combining civil, military, and scientific missions.

Vortex-D (for Orbital Reusable Transport and Exploration Vehicle) is designed to test critical technologies in real-life conditions: hypersonic flight, atmospheric reentry control, advanced thermal protection, and autonomous systems integration. The objective? Reducing technological uncertainties, validating industrial options, and preparing operational decisions by 2031.

Inspired by the Hermès, X-38, and IXV programs, this project adopts a NewSpace approach: fast, modular, and economically optimized. The first version, at a scale of 1/3, is expected to make its maiden flight in 2028. The Vortex-S (2/3), Vortex-C (cargo), and Vortex-M (manned) versions will follow, according to a structured incremental program.

Jointly signed by Sébastien Lecornu, Minister of the Armed Forces, and Éric Trappier, CEO of Dassault Aviation, the VORTEX spaceplane is designed to be highly versatile. It is expected to help transform the uses of the space sector and open up new fields of application. At the crossroads of aviation and space technologies, VORTEX will undoubtedly pave the way for a new generation of space aeronautics, consolidating France’s strategic position as a leading space power.

A dedicated national strategy will be presented in the fall, ahead of a European Space Summit scheduled for 2026.

Beyond a simple demonstration, a whole space projection strategy is being developed, in a context where France, Europe, the United States, and China are vying for sovereign access to low Earth orbit.

President Emmanuel Macron, visiting the 2025 Paris Air Show, reiterated: « It is fundamental that Europe strive to become a space power. »

Dassault Aviation intends to capitalize on its dual expertise in aviation and space to create a new sector. Orbital cargo transport, scientific missions, space hardware recovery, and station resupply offer vast opportunities.

By validating the first critical phase of the project, the Vortex-D demonstrator has become the pillar of long-term operational autonomy. This is an essential step in redefining the technological and military paradigms of the 21st century.

©2025 – IMPACT EUROPEAN

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