The biennial show will welcome 500 exhibitors from November 4 to 7 in Villepinte, north of the French capital, in a tense geopolitical context where the industry must provide rapid solutions to navies engaged in ongoing conflicts and the protection of sensitive areas.
« This show takes place in a new international context, particularly at sea, where European fleets and the national navy are engaged in high-intensity struggles, which has not happened for a very long time. », summarizes Pierre-Eric Pommellet, president of the French company Naval group.
In addition to the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East where the use of drones has changed the nature of naval combat, it is necessary to protect goods that circulate by sea, i.e. 90% of global trade in goods, as well as trade internet, 99% passing via cables across the seabed. In this context, naval drones take on their full importance.
Quick to manufacture and less expensive
« With what is happening in the Black Sea, the Red Sea and Southeast Asia, navies are refocusing on the present and seeking to strengthen their combat capability », Explains to AFP Admiral Eric Chaperon, defense advisor to Thales, a French high-tech group particularly in the defense sector.
To counter attacks by Yemeni Houthis armed by Iran against maritime traffic in the Red Sea, “ we fire missiles which are extremely efficient, extremely expensive, on low-cost drones ». « It is a system that is not sustainable » underlines the admiral.
Thales will present at the show “ short-term solutions that are quickly available » while the industry usually operates in long cycles, lasting up to 15 years between development and completion.
Technologies linked to drones are evolving much faster than those linked to submarines, for example.
Canada
