International military aviation specialists followed EDA’s invitation to its “European Military Aviation – Flight Path for a Better Future” conference at ILA Berlin on 13 September 2012.
Opening the seminar, Claude-France Arnould, EDA’s Chief Executive, highlighted the importance of military air capabilities to meet national security and defence requirements. She furthermore insisted that the sector was an important factor in producing wider economic growth in Europe. The recent EDA FAS4Europe study however shows that European military air capabilities are eroding with adverse impact on Europe’s ability to act in moments of crisis. Madame Arnould made clear that the European Defence Agency was committed to promoting a comprehensive approach to the military aerospace sector in Europe.
Domingo Ureña-Raso, CEO Airbus Military, also emphasized in his keynote speech that Europe’s industrial capacity was already deteriorated and would soon be seriously impacted with consequences for the key capabilities and technologies. He therefore called for increased European cooperation, especially through EDA.
Further speakers shared with the audience lessons learnt from operational experience, challenges from a procurement and supply perspective as well as ideas for a future strategic approach to cooperation in supplying air capabilities.
2012-09-11 Future Air Systems factsheet
Speech by Urena-Raso - Sept 2012
