Overview
- The Farnborough airshow opened Monday with a large commercial haul that has grown to roughly 288–300 firm aircraft orders and an early day‑one tally of about £36.2 billion in deals, according to industry and trade tallies.
- Lessor and airline headline deals include SMBC Aviation Capital’s split 200‑aircraft order between Boeing and Airbus, Riyadh Air converting and expanding long‑haul 787 and A350 commitments, and Philippine Airlines ordering 15 Boeing 787‑10s with rights for five more.
- Engine and maintenance agreements stood out as a central theme, with IndiGo’s MoU for more than 1,000 CFM LEAP engines, BOC Aviation’s order/options for up to 300 CFM engines, and several deals that include planned repair facilities or maintenance support.
- Manufacturers and industry sources warn a record backlog and supplier limits mean many signed aircraft will deliver years from now and that propulsion overhaul capacity could become the next operational choke point for airlines.
- Defence and dual‑use tech made up a large share of exhibitors and announcements, reflecting higher military spending and driving demand for drones, autonomous VTOLs and missile‑defence systems that could redirect supplier capacity and skilled jobs toward defence work.