ILA Berlin 2026: Europe’s Space & SAF Sectors Reflect on Its Strategic Future
The ILA Berlin Air Show 2026 closed leaving behind a complex legacy in many ways a true symbol of the current state of Europe’s aerospace industry. While the event celebrated technological advances in sustainability, space exploration and advanced air mobility, it also laid bare the deep crisis affecting the continent’s most ambitious joint defence project: the Future Combat Air System (FCAS). The trilateral framework conceived back in 2017 by France, Germany and Spain now appears largely outdated, even as some technology‑focused workstreams continue. Away from the political spotlight, however, the Berlin edition showed that Europe’s real innovative strength lies in a widespread ecosystem: major industrial groups, Tier‑1 suppliers, research centres and tech start‑ups that are redefining the very architecture of future aircraft. Defence Earthquake: The FCAS Programme Crisis The main topic...
