Aircraft
Accelerating Aerospace Innovation at Le Bourget
Hybrid propulsion systems and dual defense applications pick up pace among Paris Air Show exhibitors
Anduril Fury XFQ-44A
Anduril’s XFQ-44A collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) on display in full-scale form for the first time at the 2025 Paris Air Show © David McIntosh/AIN

“Necessity is the mother of invention,” the old adage maintains, referencing the impetus with which elevated need drives the development of new technologies. Certainly, the mood at the June 2025 Paris Air Show recognized —as ever—the requirement for new and evolving innovation across the aviation and aerospace ecosystem.

However, this year’s show seemed infused with a sense of urgency, expedited by an underlying sense of realism not just in what is required but what is technically feasible. Whether defense applications or decarbonization endeavors, optimistic rhetoric seemed to take a back seat to acknowledging what can be practically and expediently delivered.