The Farnborough International Airshow is one of the two largest aerospace and defence trade events in the world, held biennially at the Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre in Hampshire, UK — about 40 miles south-west of London. The 2026 edition runs July 20–24, with Monday to Thursday reserved for trade and business visitors and Friday 24 July opening as the “Pioneers of Tomorrow” public and STEM day.
It is where the aerospace supply chain, air forces, airlines and government delegations convene. The most recent edition drew more than 100,000 visitors and exhibitors from over 60 countries, and saw upward of $105.8 billion in commercial aircraft and engine orders announced across the week. The 2026 programme spans global security, advanced technology and AI, resilient supply chains, sustainability, future flight and eVTOL, and space.
Behind the primes — Boeing, Airbus, Lockheed Martin, Rolls-Royce — is a long tail of SME suppliers and subcontractors in composites, avionics, additive manufacturing and components, competing for a few minutes with procurement delegations and prime supply-chain teams. Those conversations are short and the requirements are specific. A supplier who cannot follow up promptly, referencing the exact programme and part discussed, watches the opportunity route to a competitor before the show has even closed.