Launch of the “Team France Aerospace” sector

The French aerospace sector brings together all the businesses in the region involved in the design, production and maintenance of aerospace equipment, whether it be airplanes, helicopters, drones, airships, satellites, space launchers, large systems and equipment, sub‑assemblies or associated software, both for civilian and military use.

This sector is of strategic importance to the French economy, with France, alongside the United States, home to one of the world’s largest aerospace industries. In 2023, the sector generated revenues of €70.2 billion, making it the main contributor to the French trade balance with €31.6 billion. It brings together more than 1,000 businesses and 210,000 employees.

With 83% of its consolidated revenues generated through exports, the international strategy of businesses in this sector is crucial for its survival and maintaining its leading status. The partners in the sector have decided to join forces under the banner entitled the “Team France Aerospace” sector to support businesses internationally in a more structured and effective manner.

This initiative, led by Business France, aims to bring together organizations representing businesses in a sector around a common aim: to define an export strategy and promote the French offer internationally. Strengthened dialogue with the sectors should lead to the improvement of the readability and consistency of support systems, which will benefit exporting businesses and regions, and ensure their full mobilization.

The “Team France Aerospace” sector (TFF) is committed to:

• Producing a map of priority export markets.

• Thinking about and implementing together a multi‑year program of events and operations for businesses in the sector in the different priority markets identified.

• Establishing a map of the forces at work and any missing links.

• Communicating together on the co‑operation from this “Team France Aerospace” sector and promoting its events to businesses.

Laurence de Touchet, Director of France Export Programs at Business France, commented: “The official creation of the ‘Team France Aerospace’ sector places sectoral sectors at the heart of our strategy, in terms of both exports and economic attractiveness. By joining forces with key players in the sector, we’re focusing our efforts and resources to support French businesses by responding in a more targeted manner to the specific needs of the sectors, thereby positioning France as an undisputed leader in aerospace on the global stage.”

• Aerospace Valley is the leading European innovation cluster in the aerospace sector, serving the strategic aerospace and drones sectors, in the Occitanie and Nouvelle Aquitaine regions.

Bruno Darboux, President of Aerospace Valley, said: “The ‘Team France Aerospace’ sector has a particular role to play, particularly in the low‑carbon light aviation sector, which is emerging with a globally relevant French offering, and which must be developed abroad with our support.”

• The NewSpace France Alliance represents French NewSpace key players. With more than forty member businesses, the Alliance brings together innovative startups and SMEs in the space sector, located throughout France.

Samuel Mamou, co‑ordinator of the NewSpace France Alliance, said: “The ‘Team France’ sector is key to bringing together all the players in the French aerospace ecosystem, so they can discuss with one another and work together on a common agenda for exports. We’ve very different key players, with startups, SMEs and large groups all having distinct needs. The idea of this Team France is to have co‑ordination at a national level, with enormous benefits for our businesses.”

• ASTech Paris Région is an innovation cluster that aims to make the space launch, business aviation, propulsion and equipment sectors European industry leaders in the Ile de France/Paris region through innovation.

Marie‑Christine Oghly, President of ASTech, said: “Today, we signed with the ‘Team France’ sector, and it was a symbolic moment for me: that of having all the partners, Business France, the innovation clusters, GIFAS, the CNES and the NewSpace France Alliance, which are all committed to working together.”

• Business France (BF) is the public consulting firm supporting the international development of the French economy. It is responsible for the international development of businesses and their exports, as well as courting foreign investments and welcoming them to France.

• The National Center for Space Studies (CNES) is the French space agency. It proposes and implements France’s space policy.

Céline Angélélis, Deputy Director of Ecosystems at the CNES, said: “International development is very important for the influence of French scientific excellence, which is one of the tools of French diplomacy. I find the ‘Team France’ sector initiative to be extremely positive, as it enables everyone’s strengths and assets to be pooled and common actions and opportunities to be identified.”

• The French Aerospace Industries Association (GIFAS) is a professional union which brings together 482 businesses, from leading prime contractors and system manufacturers to SMEs and startups.

Frédéric Parisot, Managing Director of GIFAS, said: “Today, export activities are key to the way we manage the sector. The ‘Team France’ sector initiative is excellent for us, as it enables us to have all the key players around the table to decide on what action is to be taken in different countries.”

• Pôle Safe is the French innovation cluster positioned in the Aerospace, Security and Defense sectors, located in the Provence‑Alpes‑Côte d’Azur region. It oversees a network of more than 500 key players, of which more than 70% are businesses.

Benoît Hancart, President of Pôle Safe, said: “Today’s signing of the ‘Team France’ sector is key to bringing together all the efforts of the partners in the sector and encourage our members to export.”

For the year 2025, 10 countries have been identified as priorities for the sector: Germany, Canada, China, South Korea, United Arab Emirates, United States, India, Italy, United Kingdom and Turkey. Eleven other markets have been deemed challenger countries. These include: Saudi Arabia, Australia, Spain, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Morocco, Mexico, the Czech Republic and Singapore. Partners will come together on January 15, 2025 to begin developing 2026 priorities.

Several international events are already planned for this “Team France Aerospace” sector, with businesses expected to attend, including, for the first half of 2025, the MRO Middle East show in the United Arab Emirates (February 10‑11); Aero India in India (February 10‑14); Aeromart Montreal in Canada (March 25‑27); Aircraft Interiors Expo in Germany (April 8‑10); the Space Symposium in the United States (April 7‑10); NewSpace Africa Conference in Egypt (April 21‑24); Famex in Mexico (April 23‑25); Ebace in Switzerland (May 13‑29); French Space Days in India (May 19‑22); and of course the International Paris Air Show, organized by SIAE, at Le Bourget (June 16‑22).

Download the press release.