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Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Why defense and Airbus dominated this year's Paris Air Show
Airbus announced hundreds of orders at the Paris Air Show, while Boeing maintained a low profile. The Air India crash cast a long shadow over the event, with defense taking the spotlight. Airline passenger numbers are above pre-pandemic levels and supply chain constraints are easing. Airbus won the orders game at an unusual Paris Air Show, overshadowed by geopolitical tensions and last Thursday's Air India plane crash. Boeing chose not to announce any orders and kept a low profile. The sense of mourning was palpable inside the company's chalet. All staff wore Air India pin badges to commemorate Flight 171. "This show definitely has a very different tone for us in the Boeing company," said Turbo Sjogren, senior vice-president for government services, as he began its first media briefing on Tuesday. "When you go into our chalet, when you go into our exhibit, you will see not only flowers, but you will see all Boeing employees wearing this," he added, pointing to his pin. "It's been a very tough time for us, and it affects all of our employees." Both CEO Kelly Ortberg and the chief of its commercial airplanes division, Stephanie Pope, canceled their plans to attend the show. Even as Airbus announced order after order, airline and lessor CEOs began signing ceremonies by expressing sympathy for the victims in Ahmedabad. The European planemaker tallied 142 firm commercial aircraft orders, including 25 A350-1000s from Saudi Arabia's new airline, Riyadh Air. Additionally, Vietnam's VietJet signed an agreement to buy 100 A321neos. Embraer also scored big, as regional airline SkyWest ordered 60 E175 jets in a deal the Brazilian firm valued at $3.6 billion. With 2,500 exhibitors from 48 countries, the global nature of aviation was tangible at Le Bourget Airport — where Charles Lindbergh landed the Spirit of St Louis after his historic transatlantic flight in 1927. However, geopolitical tensions bubbled over amid the conflicts in Gaza and between Israel and Iran. Five Israeli defense companies arrived on Monday to find organizers had blocked off their stands overnight with large black walls. The French government had ordered them to remove offensive weapons from their pavilions, but they declined to do so, Israel's ministry of defense said in a statement. "They're saying that they would discuss it with us and see what goes out, but when we came here this morning, it was unilaterally done," Shlomo Toaff, an executive vice president at Rafael, told reporters. Business Insider saw half a dozen police officers gathered by the pavilions on Monday morning, and two officers standing guard throughout the week. French Prime Minister François Bayrou said the decision was made given "extreme tensions" in the region and "France's diplomatic choices, in particular the very great concern about Gaza." Meanwhile, the F-35 appeared to be the most popular aircraft of the flying displays. Nearly everyone on the tarmac stopped, phones pointed skyward, below the deafening roar of the fighter jet that Israel has used to bomb Gaza and Tehran. Compared to past major shows, it was a salient reminder of an increasingly troubled world. Qatar Airways CEO Badr Mohammed Al-Meer also pulled out of the air show at the last minute. In a video message after the airline was named the world's top carrier for the ninth time, he said he flew home from Paris on Monday, "to focus on our operational responsibilities due to the geopolitical situation in the Middle East." "It feels incredibly strange not to be there," Al-Meer added. "In over a decade with our airline and airport, I've never missed a Skytrax ceremony." Growing conflicts and President Donald Trump's policies have prompted European countries to increase their defense spending and seek more autonomy over military programs. About 45% of the Paris Air Show was dedicated to defense and security, a "strong increase" from 2023, organisers said. The event is typically far more focused on civil aviation, especially compared to the UK's defense-leaning Farnborough Air Show, with which it alternates each year. While there were reasons for industry figures to feel despondent this week, the sector is starting to move on from recent troubles. At last year's Farnborough show and Paris the year before, the main theme was recovering from the pandemic. Passenger numbers have now eclipsed 2019 levels, and while the supply chain is still struggling, constraints are easing. "There is renewed optimism around the ability to restore capacity," said Chad Stecker of Incora, a supply chain solutions provider for aerospace and defense firms. "We're not out yet, I would say," he told BI. "But there's really a life at this show, a renewed life, and optimism around where we're headed." Read the original article on Business Insider
Business Insider
10 hours ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Why defense and Airbus dominated this year's Paris Air Show
Airbus won the orders game at an unusual Paris Air Show, overshadowed by geopolitical tensions and last Thursday's Air India plane crash. Boeing chose not to announce any orders and kept a low profile. The sense of mourning was palpable inside the company's chalet. All staff wore Air India pin badges to commemorate Flight 171. "This show definitely has a very different tone for us in the Boeing company," said Turbo Sjogren, senior vice-president for government services, as he began its first media briefing on Tuesday. "When you go into our chalet, when you go into our exhibit, you will see not only flowers, but you will see all Boeing employees wearing this," he added, pointing to his pin. "It's been a very tough time for us, and it affects all of our employees." Both CEO Kelly Ortberg and the chief of its commercial airplanes division, Stephanie Pope, canceled their plans to attend the show. Even as Airbus announced order after order, airline and lessor CEOs began signing ceremonies by expressing sympathy for the victims in Ahmedabad. The European planemaker tallied 142 firm commercial aircraft orders, including 25 A350-1000s from Saudi Arabia's new airline, Riyadh Air. Additionally, Vietnam's VietJet signed an agreement to buy 100 A321neos. Embraer also scored big, as regional airline SkyWest ordered 60 E175 jets in a deal the Brazilian firm valued at $3.6 billion. With 2,500 exhibitors from 48 countries, the global nature of aviation was tangible at Le Bourget Airport — where Charles Lindbergh landed the Spirit of St Louis after his historic transatlantic flight in 1927. However, geopolitical tensions bubbled over amid the conflicts in Gaza and between Israel and Iran. Five Israeli defense companies arrived on Monday to find organizers had blocked off their stands overnight with large black walls. The French government had ordered them to remove offensive weapons from their pavilions, but they declined to do so, Israel's ministry of defense said in a statement. "They're saying that they would discuss it with us and see what goes out, but when we came here this morning, it was unilaterally done," Shlomo Toaff, an executive vice president at Rafael, told reporters. Business Insider saw half a dozen police officers gathered by the pavilions on Monday morning, and two officers standing guard throughout the week. French Prime Minister François Bayrou said the decision was made given "extreme tensions" in the region and "France's diplomatic choices, in particular the very great concern about Gaza." Meanwhile, the F-35 appeared to be the most popular aircraft of the flying displays. Nearly everyone on the tarmac stopped, phones pointed skyward, below the deafening roar of the fighter jet that Israel has used to bomb Gaza and Tehran. Compared to past major shows, it was a salient reminder of an increasingly troubled world. Qatar Airways CEO Badr Mohammed Al-Meer also pulled out of the air show at the last minute. In a video message after the airline was named the world's top carrier for the ninth time, he said he flew home from Paris on Monday, "to focus on our operational responsibilities due to the geopolitical situation in the Middle East." "It feels incredibly strange not to be there," Al-Meer added. "In over a decade with our airline and airport, I've never missed a Skytrax ceremony." Growing conflicts and President Donald Trump 's policies have prompted European countries to increase their defense spending and seek more autonomy over military programs. About 45% of the Paris Air Show was dedicated to defense and security, a "strong increase" from 2023, organisers said. The event is typically far more focused on civil aviation, especially compared to the UK's defense-leaning Farnborough Air Show, with which it alternates each year. While there were reasons for industry figures to feel despondent this week, the sector is starting to move on from recent troubles. At last year's Farnborough show and Paris the year before, the main theme was recovering from the pandemic. Passenger numbers have now eclipsed 2019 levels, and while the supply chain is still struggling, constraints are easing. "There is renewed optimism around the ability to restore capacity," said Chad Stecker of Incora, a supply chain solutions provider for aerospace and defense firms. "We're not out yet, I would say," he told BI. "But there's really a life at this show, a renewed life, and optimism around where we're headed."
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
As World War III looms, will Boeing restart the production of its iconic heavy lift jet the C-17 Globemaster III?
Boeing C-17 Production Restart Talks Begin Amid Rising Global Demand for Strategic Airlift - Boeing is exploring a possible C-17 production restart, nearly a decade after the last aircraft left the assembly line. The Globemaster III, a backbone of the U.S. and allied airlift capability, could return to production as Boeing confirms early-stage discussions with at least one unnamed foreign customer. This development comes amid growing global demand for strategic transport aircraft, especially as no immediate replacement for the C-17 currently exists. According to Turbo Sjogren, VP and general manager of Boeing Global Services-Government Services, the talks are in their "early infancy," as reported by Shephard Defense at the Paris Air Show. Why is Boeing considering restarting C-17 Globemaster III production now? The interest in restarting Boeing C-17 production stems from a lack of comparable alternatives and growing international airlift needs. Countries across Europe, the Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East are expanding their military capabilities and looking for aircraft that can meet both strategic and tactical lift roles. The C-17's unique ability to carry up to 100,000 pounds of cargo over 4,500 nautical miles while landing on runways as short as 3,500 feet makes it nearly unmatched. While Boeing hasn't revealed which country is involved in the current talks, speculation includes Japan, whose Prime Minister, Shigeru Ishiba, recently expressed interest in acquiring C-17s. Previously, Tokyo would have needed to source used aircraft from allies. A new production line changes that possibility entirely. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Join new Free to Play WWII MMO War Thunder War Thunder Play Now Undo Who currently operates the C-17 and why is demand increasing? The U.S. Air Force remains the largest operator of the C-17, but it's also used by Australia, Canada, India, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, and the United Kingdom, among others. Additionally, NATO's Strategic Airlift Capability operates several C-17s. In recent years, the usage rate of U.S. C-17s has risen sharply due to global operations in Afghanistan, Ukraine, and ongoing tensions in the Indo-Pacific. The fleet is aging faster than expected, creating urgency for more aircraft—even as the Air Force explores long-term replacements like Next-Generation Airlift (NGAL) or blended-wing-body (BWB) aircraft. Live Events What makes the C-17 so hard to replace? There simply isn't a true C-17 alternative in production today. Competing platforms like the Airbus A400M and Embraer C-390 Millennium offer varying capabilities but don't match the C-17's payload and runway versatility. The A400M, for instance, carries only 30,000 pounds over 2,400 nautical miles—just a fraction of the C-17's range and lift. The C-390, often dubbed a "jet-powered C-130," is also more limited in strategic applications. Notably, the C-17 is capable of airlifting an M1 Abrams tank, a feat beyond the reach of these other aircraft. That outsized capacity is critical for modern military logistics, particularly in fast-moving or remote theaters of operation. What challenges would Boeing face in restarting the C-17 line? Restarting C-17 production won't be easy—or cheap. Boeing shut down its Long Beach, California facility in 2015, after producing 279 aircraft. The site, once operated by McDonnell Douglas (before Boeing's acquisition in 1997), was later put up for sale in 2018. That move effectively ended full-scale military aircraft production in Southern California. A RAND Corporation report in 2013 estimated it would cost around $8 billion to restart production and build 150 new C-17s with improved fuel efficiency. At the time, Boeing was expected to shift manufacturing to a different location. Today, Boeing continues to provide maintenance under the C-17 Globemaster III Integrated Sustainment Program (GISP), which could form a foundation for any new production effort. Could the U.S. Air Force also order new C-17s? Yes, and that might be key. Although the U.S. Air Force once considered adding three more C-17 squadrons to its inventory, those plans were shelved. Now, with airlift demand surging and future conflicts likely requiring rapid, distributed logistics, there's renewed interest. The Air Force may not be able to wait for next-gen airlift solutions to become reality. Restarting C-17 production—if foreign interest is strong enough—might give the Pentagon a chance to place a gap-filler order. It's a move that could help extend global reach and support new missions, such as standoff weapons delivery, which adds a new layer of capability to the C-17. What is C-17 Globalmaster The C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft developed by McDonnell Douglas (now part of Boeing) for the U.S. Air Force. It is designed to carry heavy cargo, troops, and equipment over long distances and into remote or undeveloped airfields. Key Features of the C-17 Globemaster: Can carry up to 100,000 pounds of cargo Flies over 4,500 nautical miles without refueling Operates on short, narrow, or rough runways Can transport tanks, helicopters, troops, and supplies Used for combat missions, humanitarian aid, and aerial delivery What's next for the C-17 and global strategic airlift? At this stage, it's unclear whether restarting C-17 production is feasible or cost-effective. Boeing hasn't confirmed where it would build new aircraft or how soon production could ramp up. However, with growing international demand, aging global fleets, and limited alternatives, the pressure to bring the C-17 Globemaster III back into production is real. Whether Boeing and the U.S. Air Force move forward may ultimately depend on foreign orders—and whether Washington is willing to support the restart to preserve a capability many see as essential in today's rapidly shifting global defense environment. For now, the possibility is back on the table—and it's one many military planners are watching closely. FAQs: Q1: Why is Boeing considering a C-17 production restart? Because rising global demand and no existing replacement make the C-17 vital for military airlift missions. Q2: Which countries are interested in buying new C-17s? Japan and other unnamed nations have shown interest as strategic transport needs grow.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Boeing In Talks To Restart C-17 Production
Two decades after the last example rolled off the production line, Boeing says it's in negotiations with at least one customer to build more C-17 Globemaster III airlifters. The development comes as countries around the world look to boost their armed forces' capabilities, and with no immediate successor to the C-17 waiting in the wings. Turbo Sjogren, VP and general manager of Boeing Global Services-Government Services, confirmed to Shephard Defense at the Paris Air Show today that 'early infancy' talks were underway with one country, with a view to a potential C-17 production restart.'It is a very extraordinary effort to do,' Sjogren told the same publication, noting that it was 'reflective of the utility of the aircraft.' He added that interest in new-build C-17s was being expressed by several other countries, too. None of those countries was named, but TWZ has approached Boeing for more details. The nations involved may or may not be drawn from the C-17's existing customer base. As well as the U.S. Air Force, its biggest operator, the C-17 is flown by Australia, Canada, India, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. Finally, NATO's multinational Strategic Airlift Capability Heavy Airlift Wing also operates C-17s. One potentially new customer for the C-17 is Japan. Earlier this year, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba disclosed an interest in buying C-17. Previously, we speculated that any such aircraft for Japan would have to be transferred from the U.S. Air Force or from the inventory of an allied operator. If a new production line were to open, that would change things entirely. Certainly, a continued demand for the C-17 is understandable among both established operators and potential new customers. Outside of China and Russia, there is no real equivalent to the C-17, with many countries instead turning to the Airbus A400M or the Embraer C-390 Millennium for their airlift needs, which offer a very different set of capabilities. The A400M was originally marketed as a gap-filler between the C-130 Hercules at one end and the C-17 at the other. Meanwhile, the C-390 has often been described, in loose terms, as a jet-powered C-130. The C-17 can transport 100,000 pounds of cargo more than 4,500 nautical miles. It can make high-angle, steep approaches at relatively slow speeds, allowing it to operate into small, austere airfields and onto runways as short as 3,500 feet long and just 90 feet wide. While it has tactical capabilities, it's equally adept as a long-range, heavy-lift strategic transport. Unlike the A400M, the C-17 can lift everything up to an M1 Abrams main battle tank, so its outsized load-carrying capabilities are impressive and useful. The A400M, in contrast, is much more of a tactical transport that offers certain strategic capabilities. It can carry 30,000 pounds of cargo over 2,400 nautical miles, and it can also operate from unprepared or semi-prepared strips. Clearly, the A400M isn't a direct replacement for the C-17, but at the same time, Boeing says it has no planned replacement for the Globemaster III. But bringing the C-17 back into production, whatever the demand, will not be straightforward. Back in 2018, we reported on how Boeing had put the Long Beach, California, facilities where it built the C-17 up for sale. This appeared to bring a definitive end to C-17 production, as well as Boeing's serial manufacture of military aircraft in Southern California. But even at that time, there was a question about whether emerging U.S. Air Force demands might make a restart an attractive idea. Specifically, the U.S. Air Force was, back then, looking to add three C-17 squadrons as part of a larger push to drastically expand the size of its force and to enhance its ability to move personnel and materiel across the globe. Those plans fell by the wayside, but the C-17 aspiration seemed something of a non-starter at that time. When it was active, Boeing's Long Beach facility, comprising a nearly four-million-square-foot plot of land adjacent to Long Beach Airport, produced 279 C-17s for the U.S. Air Force and foreign customers. McDonnell Douglas had developed and first started production of the C-17 at the site in 1991. Boeing bought that firm in 1997, taking over the Globemaster III program and the production facilities in the process. Though Boeing still provides C-17-related maintenance and other services in Southern California, the production facilities at Long Beach have been idle since the last Globemaster III left the plant in 2015. Even before that, in 2013, the RAND Corporation conducted a detailed analysis of what it might cost to reboot C-17 production after a multi-year pause. The figure was close to $8 billion to support the production of up to 150 new derivatives with improved fuel efficiency. RAND assumed that Boeing would build those aircraft somewhere else rather than in Long Beach. We have also reached out to Boeing today to get a better idea of what it would now take to start building C-17s again. A production restart could perhaps also be aligned with Boeing's Integrated Sustainment Program (GISP), which provides modernization and support to the existing C-17 fleet. If a new production run proved to be feasible, Boeing would likely look again at an updated configuration, which would be a more capable and efficient subtype. Some of these improvements might also be relevant for upgrades of C-17s built in the original series. In the longer term, the U.S. Air Force has been eyeing more exotic airlift capabilities, like blended-wing-body (BWB) designs. While there are still many unknowns about the kinds of capabilities and platforms that the service will need in the future, one thing that seems to be central, at least at this stage, is the requirement for a much greater degree of survivability compared to legacy airlift platforms. A revamped C-17 would not deliver on that front. On the other hand, the requirement to replace the C-5 Galaxy and C-17 fleets is becoming increasingly urgent. The program to field new U.S. Air Force airlift capabilities is still at an early stage and it's unclear if it will be pursued under the (currently still unofficial) Next-Generation Airlift (NGAL) name, or if it will be reconfigured under the name Next-Generation Airlift System, to better represent that fact that it will involve a family of different platforms and capabilities. Regardless, the service doesn't have much time to stand up and deliver on an entirely new strategic airlifter or family of strategic airlifters. Absolutely critical to the fate of the U.S. Air Force C-17 fleet is the fact that these vital aircraft are being tasked at a far higher rate than planned. Major contingencies all over the world, from Afghanistan to Ukraine, in particular, have put many extra hours on these airframes. A potential future contingency in the Pacific would see the fleet taxed even harder and possibly over a longer period of time. Some argue that more C-17 capacity is needed just to fight that conflict in the distributed manner the Pentagon wants. On top of this, promising new capabilities are giving C-17s the ability to execute kinetic roles via standoff weapons delivery, which could be a great way to take some pressure off the bomber force. At the same time, the question of where the capacity to actually execute that mission would come from during a time when aerial logistics would be pushed to the max isn't clear. Hence why the call for more C-17s, or something that is similarly capable, is growing louder. With all this in mind, the U.S. Air Force might well welcome the opportunity to buy additional C-17s, if it can find the funds to do so, even if only as a gap-filler. In fact, depending on the level of foreign interest in new-build C-17s, an order from the Pentagon may well be critical in order to get any production restart off the ground. At this point, it remains very questionable whether restarting C-17 production is possible, let alone economical. On the other hand, there's little doubt that customers looking for an airlifter that's able to land on an unimproved airstrip in the middle of nowhere or carry an Abrams main battle tank have very few realistic options at this point in time. Contact the author: thomas@
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Europe must reduce critical mineral dependence on China, just like US: Boeing
Turbo Sjogren, senior vice-president for government services at Boeing Global Services, said the supply chain was at the core of European concerns about how to face the demands of sovereignty and take on the challenges 'in a manner different tomorrow than they've done in the past'. 'The aerospace supply chain is global. Nobody can do it themselves. Maybe the Chinese can try, but certainly the rest of us, we're going to have to work together,' he told a press briefing in the Boeing chalet at one of the world's largest and oldest air shows. 'Irrespective of who's going to take the lead, irrespective of sovereignty, there will be programmes developed in the United States, where there will be significant European content. 'There will be programmes that will be developed in Europe where there will be significant US content. And that's the nature of the supply chain. To do otherwise takes too long and it's unaffordable.' Sjogren pointed out that the US has had legislation in place since 1973 requiring that the aerospace industry in particular, 'but defence as a whole, cannot be reliant on countries like China' for materials that are deemed critical.
