The defense and weapons sector is expected to dominate the Farnborough International Airshow in Britain this year, in a remarkable shift that reflects the escalation of global security risks and the increase in military spending, which has pushed weapons to take center stage at the expense of traditional civil aircraft.

As the war in Ukraine enters its fifth year and regional tension continues, interest in the traditional competition between the two giants of the aircraft industry, Boeing and Airbus, is declining in favor of an intense defense presence, as arms companies constitute about half of the participants in the exhibition this year.

Reports indicate a strategic shift at the exhibition represented by the strong presence of emerging defense technology and artificial intelligence companies, amid a global trend to accelerate weapons development cycles and produce systems and ammunition in huge quantities, instead of relying entirely on expensive military platforms that take years to manufacture.

Despite the challenges facing the civil aviation sector, including disruptions in supply chains and shortages of components and engines, manufacturers are expected to announce new commercial deals, but the primary focus remains on the ability of these companies to meet the growing defense demand in light of a security environment described as the most complex and volatile in decades.