Euronaval: what is the outcome after the first edition in Villepinte?

Changing half a century of habits is not easy. Since its creation in 1968, Euronaval, the largest international exhibition dedicated to the naval defense sector, has invariably been held at the Le Bourget exhibition center. But this year, following the Paris Olympic Games which mobilized this site and the modernization work undertaken subsequently, this place intimately linked to the history of Euronaval was not available at this time of the year. The organizers were therefore forced to choose a new space for the 29th edition, which was finally held in Villepinte from November 4 to 7. Eight days after the end of the show, it is time to take stock and, according to Hugues du Plessis d’Argentré, it is very positive: “We are very happy, we are not going to shy away from our pleasure. Obviously, we asked ourselves questions. We wondered how these changes to the site, organization and configuration of the show would be received by exhibitors and visitors. It was a real challenge after 50 years of practice at Le Bourget. In the end, our objectives were achieved, even exceeded, and the feedback we received is generally very good,” explains the general director of Sogena and Euronaval to Mer et Marine.

Hugues du Plessis d’Argentré.

More visitors and delegations staying longer

The organization announces 26,000 visitors, compared to 22,000 during the previous edition, in 2022 (the show is held every two years), or around 20% better. A figure which may surprise some participants, who had the impression of lower attendance, which is apparently explained by the configuration of the show: “At Le Bourget we have a single central aisle with all the major exhibitors , which gives an effect of density, whereas in Villepinte we had several aisles, which are wider. The main exhibitors were therefore more spread out, which was also the case for the visitors.” The show has therefore gained in fluidity, this configuration allowing a better distribution of visitors for the benefit of the 483 exhibitors present. As for official delegations, “we had around 150 from all over the world, a stable number and in line with what we expected. These are high-quality delegations, with heads of government, ministers, chiefs of staff, etc. Nearly 1,500 meetings were organized with these delegations, which is very important and possible given that Euronaval is renowned for respecting programs and schedules, a quality of service that is recognized and not seen in any other salon around the world. We also noted that certain delegations came for the entire duration of the show, until the fourth day, which is a very good sign.”

Opening conference of the show with Admiral Vandier, Chief of Staff of the French Navy.

One of the many foreign delegations present at the show.

The Romanian Prime Minister, Ion-Marcel Ciolacu, is one of the political figures welcomed at Euronaval.

Lots of press too, with more than 300 accredited journalists, the show having benefited from this point of view from a very degraded international context, from the renewed interest of the media in military subjects and maritime issues. And probably also the controversy surrounding the Israeli exhibitors finally authorized by the courts to be able to hold their stands at Euronaval.

A degraded international context and the election of Trump have caused a lot of talk

This unmissable event for the naval defense sector, which made it possible to exhibit the latest innovations in naval warfare, particularly in terms of drones, system connectivity, artificial intelligence and weaponry designed for warfighting. high intensity, also occurred at a very particular moment. Beyond the international security context, with the war in Ukraine and the Middle East, the attacks in the Red Sea, the tensions around the Arab-Persian Gulf region and in Asia, it is in the middle of Euronaval that the election American presidential election intervened. With, in the wake of Donald Trump’s victory, all the uncertainties concerning the strategic posture of the next tenant of the White House, in particular concerning the support of the United States for Ukraine and Europe. “It’s a very particular context and, of course, on the stands, everyone was talking about it, especially the Europeans who are wondering where we are going and whether we can still trust the United States. These questions also came up in the conferences, even if we did not manage to hold one on this specific theme, the subject being very sensitive and no one wanting to speak officially yet. But the fact that Euronaval is the first major international meeting in the defense sector, of what we can now consider as the start of the post-Biden era, was very important in enabling international exchanges and think about the consequences of this event. This is true for military cooperation as well as for industrialists, particularly in Europe, where we are well aware that the guarantee of the American umbrella within NATO is no longer necessarily guaranteed and that strengthening European defense is become imperative. “This is not a turning point but we are witnessing an inflection. I would say that the Europeans came to see what was being done at Euronaval and that they left saying to themselves that we will have to get started.”

The entrance to Euronaval at the Villepinte exhibition center.

View of the living room from the entrance.

A new popular site

Apart from this geostrategic context which made this show probably an even more valuable event than usual, overall, exhibitors and visitors enjoyed meeting in Villepinte. A larger and more modern space, equipped with a greater number of catering outlets and served directly from Paris and Charles de Gaulle airport by the RER B, whose trains stop at the foot of the exhibition center, while At Le Bourget you then have to take a shuttle to reach the site. Some details still need to be improved, notes Hugues du Plessis d’Argentré, for example in the layout: “It’s not easy when you don’t know a place to make the placements the first time. We found that some choices turned out to be much better than we thought and, conversely, a little worse in some cases. The flows are not easy to guess, even when you have experience,” notes the general director of Sogena, which is a subsidiary of the Groupement des Industries de Construction et Activities Navales (GICAN).

Villepinte or Le Bourget in 2026?

So obviously, the big question is whether, in 2026, Euronaval will return to Villepinte or will it return to Le Bourget? “Both have advantages. At Le Bourget, for example, we can land aircraft and there is not, like in Villepinte, a second show taking place at the same time. In addition, on the question of transport, the metro must arrive at Le Bourget from 2026, which will also change the situation. But today, I believe that a large majority would like to stay in Villepinte, which is not won for an essential reason: the cost, 40% more expensive. There are therefore two solutions: either increase the number of exhibitors, but the naval sector is a sector where the pool of players is not excessive, or increase prices. We will carry out a careful satisfaction survey to ask our exhibitors which site they prefer and for what reasons. Then, once we have done our study, it will be up to the GICAN Board of Directors to decide.”

© An article from the editorial staff of Mer et Marine. Reproduction prohibited without consent of the author(s).