NEWS IN BRIEF Farnborough flies high with £62.9bn haul
Farnborough International Airshow 2026 reinforced its status as the industry's premier global showcase, generating £62.9 billion in announced business across four packed trade days. ADS estimates the deals will deliver around £10.8 billion of value to UK industry, underlining the country's central role in global aerospace supply chains. Aircraft manufacturers Airbus, Boeing and Embraer secured a combined 353 firm orders, while engine makers recorded 904 firm commitments and a further 60 options. Ten Airbus helicopter orders added to a week that once again placed commercial aviation centre stage.
Beyond the orderbook, Farnborough
attracted record visitor and exhibitor numbers, alongside senior government representatives and international delegations from around the world. The event also showcased the latest advances in defence, space, sustainability and emerging technologies. Kevin Craven, CEO of ADS and Chair
Photo credit: Farnborough International
of Farnborough International, described the show as "another hugely successful week", highlighting its unique ability to bring together industry, government and international partners to do business, forge new relationships and support future growth.
Brontanax ushers in UK CCA era
One of the standout moments at Farnborough 2026 was the unveiling of Brontanax, BAE Systems' new Collaborative Combat Aircraft and a tangible glimpse of the Royal Air Force's future combat fleet.
Designed to operate alongside
Typhoon, F-35B and the future GCAP fighter, the autonomous platform is intended to provide the RAF with affordable mass and additional combat capability. Initial roles are expected to include electronic warfare and precision strike missions. About the size of a Hawk trainer,
Brontanax has been developed around a modular architecture that will allow sensors, weapons and mission systems to evolve as requirements change. A production-standard demonstrator has already been built at Warton, with flight trials expected in 2027. Drawing on technologies
pioneered by the Taranis programme, Brontanax marks a significant step in the UK's ambitions for autonomous combat air power.
46 Advance | Autumn 2026
Funding the future
Farnborough International Airshow is best known for billion-pound aircraft deals, but this year the spotlight also fell on the people funding the future of the sector. More than 600 finance and investment leaders attended the show’s first dedicated Finance Summit, bringing together investors, lenders, venture capital firms and executives from our industry. The event reflected a growing
recognition that attracting capital is just as important as winning contracts. With companies seeking investment to scale new technologies, strengthen supply chains and accelerate innovation, the summit provided a platform to connect ideas with the money that makes them happen. Organisers said it marked an important step in Farnborough’s evolution from a showcase for products and programmes into a marketplace for future growth.
Photo credit: BAE Systems
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