GIFAS Leads Major Delegation to Strengthen Franco-British Industrial Cooperation

Paris, 4th November 2026 – The French Aerospace Industries Association (GIFAS) has completed a highly successful mission to the United Kingdom, led by its President, Olivier Andriès, from 25 to 29 October and involving 69 French companies. Organised in close collaboration with its British counterpart, ADS, the mission helped forge closer ties between the two countries’ industrial sectors and identify new opportunities for cooperation in aeronautics, space and defence (ASD), at a time when both countries are ramping up production and Europe is seeking to strengthen its industrial sovereignty.

“Our shared history – from Concorde to Airbus and MBDA – shows that France and the United Kingdom can achieve together what neither country could achieve alone. Today, as our industries face pressure to innovate faster, produce more and build greater resilience, this cooperation is more vital than ever. When France and the United Kingdom work together, Europe is stronger,” said Olivier Andriès, President of GIFAS.

The French delegation comprised more than 100 industry representatives from seven aircraft manufacturers, 20 equipment suppliers, 29 SMEs and four start-ups, some of which already have operations in the UK. It reflected the diversity and dynamism of the French aerospace industry, and its commitment to developing new partnerships with British companies.

The programme featured 20 visits to industrial sites across nine cities and more than 250 B2B and B2G meetings. A key highlight was the high-level bilateral seminar held in London on 27 October in cooperation with ADS, which brought together 250 participants, including government and industry representatives from both countries.

During the site visits, the delegation met with leading industrial players operating in the UK, including Airbus, Safran, MBDA, Rolls-Royce, GKN Aerospace and Thales Alenia Space, as well as innovation hubs such as Catapult in Harwell and Leicester. These exchanges helped identify new opportunities for cooperation, particularly for French SMEs and mid-sized companies.

From Louis Blériot’s historic flight across the English Channel in 1909 to Concorde and the major programmes led by Airbus and MBDA, Franco-British cooperation has a rich industrial history, built on decades of investment, technology transfer, skills development and personal relationships.

Today, this cooperation is firmly embedded in the industrial fabric of both countries. Nearly 50 GIFAS member companies have operations in the United Kingdom, accounting for around 85 industrial sites and 46,000 direct jobs. Their activities contribute to economic growth, innovation, exports, regional development and the competitiveness of British industry.

On the geopolitical front, both countries play a key role in the “Coalition of the Willing” supporting Ukraine. Building on the renewal of the Lancaster House agreements in 2025, the mission reaffirmed the strategic importance of bilateral cooperation in addressing shared economic, social and political challenges. These include ramping up aerospace and defence production, accelerating innovation, pursuing operational excellence through Aero Excellence International, securing supply chains, mastering critical technologies and investing in training and recruitment.

Beyond major industrial programmes, the mission focused on strengthening ties between innovation ecosystems and integrating SMEs and mid-sized companies into Franco-British value chains.

GIFAS and ADS are working in partnership to develop the Aero Excellence International programme, designed to improve the performance and resilience of aerospace and defence supply chains.

“This mission reflects our determination to ensure that the entire French aerospace industry benefits from the momentum of Franco-British cooperation. By bringing together major prime contractors, equipment suppliers, SMEs and start-ups, we aim to turn this long-standing cooperation into tangible opportunities, strengthen our value chains and foster new industrial partnerships on both sides of the Channel,” said Frédéric Parisot, CEO of GIFAS.

GIFAS and ADS intend to build on this momentum in the coming months, with a return visit by a British delegation to France planned for 2027, to further develop industrial and technological partnerships between the two countries.