by Tim Hepher and Joe Brock

PARIS (Reuters) – Manufacturers of the aerospace industry hope to garner important aircraft orders at the International Aeronautical and Le Bourget space, near Paris, despite current tensions linked to American customs duties, the climbing of international conflicts and the fragility of supply chains.

The largest aeronautical fair in the world, which will be held from June 16 to 20, is a crucial meeting for the manufacturers of aircraft and weapons who take the opportunity to present their cutting-edge technologies while making media announcements.

Airbus could start the event on Monday with two major Saudi orders, illustrating the strong growth in air transport in the Gulf countries, while facing last -minute competition from the Brazilian Embraer for a potential order of a hundred small A220 planes from Airasia.

Boeing should for his part obtain most of a reshuffle from the Royal Air Morocco fleet, a long-standing client, but the announcements could be fewer than for his European rival after having already announced big orders during the recent tour of the American president Donald Trump in the Middle East.

Behind the scenes, the manufacturers of civil aircraft, as well as the defense and supply chain giants such as Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, will be struggling with the uncertain repercussions of the volatile announcements of Donald Trump concerning the customs of customs and conflicts that convent.

“We were barely taken out of the water (after COVID) and some of our level 2 and 3 suppliers were barely starting to breathe again, and now this uncertainty,” said the director of Airbus aircraft construction activity, Christian Scherer.

The agreement between the United States and China aimed at restoring a fragile commercial truce has somewhat reassured the participants before the Bourget fair, but the weakness of the supply chains and the breakdown of trade and defense alliances have turned upset years of planning for industry.

“Despite all this chaos, the show should be a good opportunity to record orders, especially for Airbus, which will be on its field,” said Richard Aboulafia, Managing Director of Aerodynamic Advisory.

Defense expenses

The war in Ukraine and tensions in the Middle East disrupted the airspace, diverted traffic from goods and passengers and increased insurance costs.

Faced with a Ukrainian conflict that lasts and the disengagement of the United States, European countries are trying to increase their military spending.

The Bourget fair will present a wide range of drones, including inexpensive and non -reusable models which have proven to be very effective in the conflict in Ukraine.

Access to rare earths is another pressing subject, as well as environmental concerns.

The latter, which generally occupy an important place in aeronautical salons, could be less highlighted this year in a context of decline in the climatic ambitions carried out by the administration of Donald Trump.

At a global summit of air transport organized this month, the carriers reaffirmed their commitment to carbon neutrality but expressed their concerns about the limited availability of sustainable fuels and new generation aircraft less consumers in kerosene.

(Tim Hepher report in Paris and Joe Brock in London, Mara Vîlcu for the , edited by Blandine Hénault)

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