Farnborough International Airshow 2026
Farnborough International Airshow (FIA) is the world’s leading aerospace, aviation and defence exhibition, held every two years. FIA 2026 is set to be the largest edition in its 78-year history, with record international attendance and exhibition space selling out well in advance.
The event brings together governments, armed forces, industry leaders, SMEs, academia, media and future talent, providing a critical platform for business development, policy engagement, innovation showcase and workforce outreach.
Our presence at Farnborough this year highlights Babcock’s commitment to supporting SMEs and developing future talent.
Our sponsorship of the Defence SME Zone builds on our recent collaboration with the University of Exeter, where we have called for greater support for innovative suppliers. In a time-critical environment, SMEs play a vital role in delivering niche technologies at pace, and their agility is essential to strengthening sovereign resilience in areas such as AI, cyber and autonomy.
As Exclusive Partner of Pioneers of Tomorrow (PoT), taking place on the final day of the Airshow, we are also focused on addressing the industry’s workforce challenges. Visitors will have the opportunity to hear directly from our apprentices and graduates, take part in interactive activities, and connect with our careers team to learn more about opportunities at Babcock.
Monday
Babcock chalet C325
Partner events
15:30-16:30
Enable Sovereignty Panel Discussion
Dassault – 3DS Chalet – C208
Speakers:
- Donna Sinnick – Chief Delivery Officer – Babcock
- Ben Rowland – Head of Architecture- Sizewell C
- Air Cdre Patrick J Shea-Simonds – Head of Capability Futures – Royal Air Force
- Commander Florentin- CoDirector of Task Force – French Navy
We will be discussing how collaboration on controlled data & trusted, sovereign environments can secure critical projects while protecting delivery & strategic autonomy.
With insights and leadership on how we enable secure, multinational programmes, accelerate capability development and support mission‑critical operations with compliant data governance. You will hear from a compelling voice from across the landscape, we anticipate rich discussion, underlined by the control afforded by digital engineering.
Tuesday
Babcock chalet C325
11:30-12:15
Engineering the future panel followed by lunch
Join us and industry leaders for a thought-provoking panel exploring how we attract, develop and retain the skills needed to support the future of aerospace and defence.
In conjunction with the University of Oxford SKOPE, (Centre on Skills, Knowledge and Organisational Performance), Babcock is launching a major new initiative to address the widening gap between engineering education and the sector’s evolving demands.
The panel will bring together leaders to discuss the evolving skills landscape and the challenges and opportunities facing the industry, debating how government, academia, and industry can better align engineering curricula with the pace of technological change.
There will be opportunities for media interviews.
For media attendance please contact [email protected] to reserve your place.
Speakers include:
- Debbie Joce, Skills Director Babcock – Moderator
- Neal Misell, CEO Nuclear Babcock
- Dr Adam Saunders, Oxford University (SKOPE)
- Rhys Morgan, Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng)
- Paul Oxley, Director General, ADS Skills
Wednesday
Babcock chalet C325
09:30-10:15
Breakfast and Networking
Accelerating SME growth and innovation in defence
Following insights and recommendations from the Babcock and University of Exeter ‘Next Line of Defence’ research and the continued commitment outlined in the SME Charter, we are delighted to invite SME representatives to an exclusive breakfast networking session during FIA 2026.
This session will bring together SMEs, industry leaders, procurement specialists, and key stakeholders from across the defence and security sector to discuss how we can collectively strengthen SME participation, drive innovation, and create more accessible opportunities within the supply chain.
The research identified that SMEs are essential to delivering innovation, agility and resilience across the UK defence sector, yet structural barriers continue to limit their participation. In response, Babcock launched the SME Engagement Charter, creating practical commitments to simplify engagement, accelerate innovation adoption and help SMEs scale. This Accelerating SME growth and innovation in defence breakfast will bring together SMEs, primes and industry leaders to discuss progress against those commitments and identify the next actions required to strengthen the defence innovation ecosystem.
Speakers:
- Donna Sinnick, Babcock International Group
- Shirley Cooper OBE, Crown Representative for small businesses
Partner events
13:15-14:15
Women in Defence and Tech
Dassault – 3DS Chalet – C208
Speakers:
- Donna Sinnick – Chief Delivery Officer – Babcock
- Marie Bourke – Chief Executive Officer – Celtonn
The Women in Defense and Technology lunch meeting in the Dassault Systèmes’ Chalet is an invitation-only event for business leaders who are committed to Diversity, Equality & Inclusion and who aim to build resilient, sustainable businesses as a critical priority.
Thursday
Babcock chalet C325
Friday
Babcock chalet C325
10:00-10:45 and 11:00-11:45
Graduate and Apprentice panel and Q&A
Hear directly from our apprentices and graduates as they share their personal career journeys, along with practical advice, insights and top tips for those considering their next steps.
Guests are also warmly invited to join us for lunch following the session.
Register interestPartner events
10:30-11:50
Closing the Digital Skills Gap – From Education to Impact Panel
Dassault – 3DS Chalet – C208
Speakers:
- Charlotte Rhodes – Head of Systems Engineering – Babcock
- Paul Oxley – Director General of Skills – ADS
- Jafar Jamshidi CEng, IMechE – Senior Lecturer in Integrated Product Development
Cranfield University - Dr. Lina Ceponienė – Associate Professor, Faculty of Informatics – Kaunas University of Technology (KTU)
- Fabian Romano Rusch – PhD Candidate and Researcher – Helmut Schmidt University
- Prem Sundaramoorthy – Associate Professor – TU Delft’s Faculty of Aerospace Engineering
- Michael Lord – Head of Engineering for the STEP Fuel Cycle – UKFE
This panel brings together voices from academia, research, and industry to explore how the digital skills gap is shaping innovation, workforce readiness, and long-term competitiveness. From education pathways to real-world application, speakers will share practical insights on what works, what doesn’t, and how collaboration across sectors can accelerate progress.
Taking place as part of Pioneers of Tomorrow day at Farnborough International Airshow, this session will highlight scalable approaches to upskilling, address challenges in building diverse and future-ready talent pipelines, and consider the implications for national security, defence capability, and sustainable engineering. Join us for an engaging discussion on how to equip the workforce with the digital skills needed to thrive.