PARIS ― Six Russian firms have booked exhibition space at the upcoming military trade show Eurosatory, but their products do not include weapons.
Instead, the Russian companies will bring clothes and other goods ― a reflection of Western sanctions following the annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. Three Russian media outlets, including Tass new agency, are expected to attend.
The 55 Chinese companies attending Eurosatory are also showcasing nonlethal goods, reflecting the Western arms embargo since the bloody crackdown in Tiananmen Square in 1989.
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Some 45 Australian firms have also booked exhibition space at the upcoming Eurosatory trade show for land weapons and security, marking a sharp increase from the three firms that came over two years ago, said Patrick Colas de Francs, CEO of show organizer Coges.
That rise in bookings for the June 11-15 exhibition is noticeable with:
- 150 U.S. firms, up from 131.
- 116 German firms, up from 111.
- 88 U.K. firms, up from 77.
- 71 Israeli firms, up from 52.
- 60 Turkish firms, up from 29.
- 44 Czech firms, up from 34.
France has invited Australia to send an official delegation, the executive said May 17 at a news conference. As of that announcement, Australia has not replied, , although a national team was expected at the biennial show.
There was a strong Australian corporate presence at the Euronaval trade show two years ago, reflecting Canberra’s selection of an ocean-going attack submarine proposed by Naval Group, a French state-controlled company.
The show organizer expects 230 official delegations, including the services, special and security forces.
Companies from some 140 countries have booked exhibition space at Eurosatory. Bookings from French companies rose to 590, up 5.4 percent from 560.
A total 1,750 exhibitors have booked, 11 percent up from 1,571 at the previous show.
Coges has met and arranged meetings with nongovernmental organizations including Amnesty International and Oxfam. The show seeks to observe international rulings such as the Ottawa Treaty against land mines.
Among new exhibitors are firms from Azerbaijan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Cape Verde, Colombia and Lithuania. Cape Verde will offer a training center for special forces and anti-terror units. Small and medium companies from Croatia have booked space.
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There will be increased security at the show, which will include 54 surveillance cameras.
Coges will also launch a Eurosatory Lab, where 70 French and foreign startup companies can seek to attract supporters.
Cybersecurity and robotics will be among the key themes at the show.
Coges is the show organizer of Gicat, the trade association specializing in land weapons.
Gicat has 245 members, with annual sales of €7.5 billion (U.S. $8.8 billion), said Chairman Stéphane Mayer. Exports account for 53 percent of turnover. The land weapons sector account for 21,000 direct jobs, with a similar number of indirect employment.
Mayer is also chairman and CEO of Nexter, the French state-owned land weapons specialist.
