American military giants, with the support of an influential Congressional delegation from Washington, used the Paris Air Show to showcase cutting-edge technologies and win over European partners, with the aim of profiting from the growth of military spending on the European continent.
Many European countries have pledged to significantly increase their defense budgets in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but also because of threats from the administration of US President Donald Trump to reduce military support for the region.
Those tensions, however, were absent this week at the Paris trade fair, where US lawmakers and arms manufacturers expressed readiness for a stronger transatlantic partnership, while Europe increases spending on everything from artillery shells and fighter jets to missile defense systems, Reuters reports.
"We understand that our allies and partners are a force multiplier, so we are stronger when we act together," US Senator Jerry Moran, a member of Trump's Republican Party, told reporters at the Aviation and Defense Industry Show, the world's largest event of its kind.
Moran, whose delegation was providing support to US arms manufacturers, said he came to Paris to send a message that the US is a "reliable and credible partner".
Reuters points out that his conciliatory tone contrasts sharply with a series of recent disparaging statements by the Trump administration about Europe and its military industry.
"I don't think that confronting our allies makes us stronger," Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen told reporters, expressing a desire to strengthen defense relations with Europe.
Reliance on the USA
Despite promises by many European countries to improve their military independence, the continent remains heavily dependent on US arms manufacturers, according to a Reuters analysis.
Europe buys American-made fighter jets and missiles from Lockheed Martin, Patriot anti-missile systems from Raytheon Technologies, as well as military aircraft and helicopters manufactured by Boeing.
In new areas of military technology, such as artificial intelligence, drones and satellite constellations, American technology companies such as Anduril, Palantir and Elon Musk's SpaceX are far ahead of the competition.
American companies hope to take advantage of this at a time when European military spending is rising sharply, including through partnerships that serve as a way to ease potential diplomatic tensions, the meeting participants said.
US drone manufacturer Anduril and German military giant Rheinmetall announced yesterday that they will join forces to produce military drones for the European market, a sign that Europe is using US technology to strengthen its own military capabilities, according to Reuters.
Thomas Laliberti, president of Raytheon's land and air defense sector, said there are no easy substitutes in Europe for the weapons the company produces, and that he expects the company to maintain a long-term presence on the continent, including through new partnerships.
Laliberti added that Raytheon is close to announcing a plan to produce the Stinger, a lightweight anti-aircraft missile used by Ukrainian forces against Russia.
"For current needs, Raytheon is well positioned to respond to European demand," Laliberty told reporters in Paris.
"We have a very bright future here," he said.
Boeing, which this year won a contract from the Trump administration to develop the next-generation F-47 fighter jet, said Europe and the United States would remain long-term partners despite political friction, in part to counter the Chinese threat.
"No one can do it alone - maybe the Chinese can try, but the rest of us will definitely have to work together," said Turbo Sjogren, general manager of Boeing's government services sector.
"Anything else would take too long and be too expensive."
The president of the Italian aerospace and defense group Leonardo, Stefano Pontecorvo, added that the participation of American companies in some European programs in the coming years will be "inevitable" due to the technology they have at their disposal.
Europe vs. Europe
European rivals were optimistic about future growth but noted that progress was being held back by budgetary constraints and a lack of regional alliances, acknowledging that they would remain heavily dependent on US support.
"National sovereignty is important, but fragmentation is harmful. We have to find a way to achieve balance," Leonardo CEO Roberto Cingolani told reporters on Tuesday.
Jean-Brice Dimont, head of the airpower, defense and space sector at Airbus, said that Europe's dependence on the US is "very high".
"Zero dependence on the US is, in my opinion, a dream. We need interoperability, and that also carries with it certain needs related to the US," said Dimon, whose company, together with Britain's BAE Systems and Italy's Leonardo, makes the Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet, as well as Earth observation satellites and drones.
Italian Defense Minister Guido Crocetto said Europe has "too much bureaucracy" compared to the United States and must adapt to a new era of faster, cheaper and more flexible military technology.
"Either Europe will adapt its industry to these new parameters - different from those under which it has operated for the last four years - or it will face enormous competition, and not just American," said Crosetto.
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