RAMP UP, NOW!

"Urgency is a medical term describing a situation that demands immediate action — one where the patient's survival is at stake. The success of the aerospace sector has been built on its ability to turn globalisation into an opportunity; it is therefore highly dependent on the international context, and when that context gives cause for concern, the sector finds itself under threat. In 2026, geopolitical tensions are mounting, multilateralism is receding, a new imperialism is emerging, the shadow of the United States, Russia and China looms ever larger, and Europe is searching for its footing. The Paris Air Forum must take stock of this reality. For aviation and space, Europe represents a very particular centre of gravity, and the sweeping global upheavals it is facing head-on are prompting the world to ask: will it emerge weakened or strengthened? How this economic giant — yet political dwarf — manages to rise to the challenge and reinvent its sovereignty will shape the balance of global power.

Good resolutions are indeed being made; the problem is that they are struggling to be put into practice. The situation is critical: we must build momentum, and do so without delay, if aerospace is to continue playing its role as an enabler of the planet's development. The Ramp-Up that all stakeholders are calling for can no longer wait. Regrettably, promised funding is slow to materialise, SMEs and mid-sized enterprises are under strain, the supply chain is in distress, and the major manufacturers are struggling to deliver. The situation demands acceleration — and acceleration now. Any further delay carries grave consequences, as Canada's Prime Minister, Mark Carney, captured in one striking phrase: 'If you are not at the table, then you are on the menu.' It is this urgency that the 2026 edition of the Paris Air Forum will address."

Max ARMANET –Chairman of the Scientific Council, Chairman of Forum-Media