The Farnborough International Airshow 2026, set for July 20-24, introduces the Aerospace Global Forum: Finance Summit in partnership with Barclays, marking its first dedicated finance event. This addition reflects the event’s evolution from traditional aircraft orders and flying displays to a comprehensive platform encompassing finance, supply chains, and emerging technologies.
Gareth Rogers, CEO of Farnborough International, stated, “The launch of the Aerospace Global Forum: Finance Summit marks an important evolution for Farnborough International Airshow. As the aerospace, defence and space sectors continue to transform, access to capital and strategic investment has never been more critical to driving innovation, resilience and sustainable growth.”
The summit will convene financial institutions, sovereign wealth funds, banks, institutional investors, and aerospace leaders to address funding for research and development, production scaling, and supply chain resilience. Hosted by Baroness Patience Wheatcroft, the opening panel, “Resilient Horizons: Strengthening Global Supply Chains and Financing the Future of Aerospace,” will feature policymakers, executives, and financial leaders discussing capital’s role in sector sustainability.
Key topics include financing innovation, sustainability, advanced technologies, defence programme funding, space investment, risk management, insurance, mergers, acquisitions, and strategic investments. This finance theme supports growth, innovation, and resilience across aerospace, defence, and space amid economic uncertainty and rising costs.
The 2026 edition, the largest in its 78-year history, features a new sixth exhibition hall, sold-out spaces, over 50 organizations on a waiting list, and 26 international pavilions from countries including India, Japan, Australia, Mexico, Brazil, and Switzerland. A new Defence SME Zone, sponsored by Babcock International, targets firms with under £10 million turnover to connect with primes, investors, and delegations.