‘Bigger, more diverse’ ILA Berlin air show readies for take-off

Starting on 5 June, this year’s ILA Berlin air show will be “bigger and more diverse than previous iterations”, according to its organisers. Billed as “the largest aerospace trade show in the EU this year”, the event has attracted 600 exhibitors from 30 countries, including around 20 international pavilions, says Dr Patrick Keller, head of communications at the BDLI. To run across three trade days and a public-access weekend, the biennial show this time has five main themes: aviation; space; defence and support; supplier; and advanced air mobility. Around 100 aircraft will be in the static display, with attractions including an Emirates Airline A380, the Novespace-operated A310 Zero-G platform, a Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft and a NATO Boeing E-3A Airborne Warning and Control System. The German armed forces will be the single largest exhibitor at the show, including within a dedicated defence park which also will feature companies such as Diehl Defence and Israel Aerospace Industries. The event is a major opportunity for Germany’s aerospace industry – including its so-called “Mittelstand”: small- and medium-sized businesses – to showcase their activities. It also will highlight Berlin’s increased emphasis on defence spending, influenced by the war in Ukraine.<br/>