Hugo van Kuffeler discusses the Farnborough International Airshow with Stephen Ball, Chief Executive of Lockheed Martin UK (LMUK)

Farnborough International Airshow has become the leading global event of its kind. Taking place every other year – alternating with Paris – it showcases the leading developments in aerospace, defence and engineering technologies from companies based all over the world. This year, the show takes place from 19-25 July and will have visiting delegations from over 38 countries. With air transport and defence having an increasingly important role in global plans for the future, this is the grandstand event for the aerospace industry, with over £88bn worth of orders announced at the 2008 show.

The global aeronautical, space and information systems firm Lockheed Martin may be based in the US but it sees the international market as an increasingly important part of its business. The UK division has attended Farnborough for the past 14 years and Stephen Ball, LMUK’s chief executive, believes the UK has a historic place in the aeronautical industry. Although there are other airshows around the globe – most notably in Singapore, Dubai, Bahrain and the USA – none appear to possess the international draw that we will see at Farnborough in July. An aviation enthusiast his whole life, Ball remembers visiting Farnborough as a student to see Concord, and now sees the show as not only a central part of LMUK’s strategy but crucial to the future of the aviation industry.

Ball goes on to say that the event is not just a beauty parade, far from it: ‘It is a huge gathering of products and people, where companies like LMUK can develop relationships with other companies in the supply chain.’ He is also keen to point out that the real value for companies like LMUK is what goes on around the edges of the show: delegations sent from foreign governments meet and see new technology for the first time.

As CEO of LMUK, Ball has the opportunity to develop relationships with foreign governments through their visiting delegations at the show. He says: ‘Announcements are timed to be released with the show and new products are introduced to visiting delegations, who can see many new products all in one place.’

The UK Government’s Department for Business Innovation and Skills finds out what visiting delegations require, bring them to the show and introduces them to the relevant companies. Farnborough is key, says Ball, as it is the first step in building relationships that can sometimes take years to bear fruit in the shape of firm orders from a client. They meet at Farnborough, are shown the range of expertise that Lockheed Martin can offer, and build a business relationship from there.

As an aficionado for the industry he works in, Ball is excited by efforts to attract a younger audience to Farnborough and in doing so inspire the future of British aviation. The Bloodhound, the supersonic car project that has been put together in an attempt to break the land speed record – they are aiming to drive it at 1,000mph – will be at the show to try and enthuse younger generations in sciences and mathematics.

LMUK’s chalet at the show will be transformed at the weekend to focus on visiting schoolchildren. Richard Noble, Bloodhound’s Project Director, and Andy Green, its driver, will be at the stand. The aim is to provide great interest and entertainment but also inspire and encourage the young to show an interest in the aviation field and continue the tradition of well-trained scientists and engineers in the UK.

The Farnborough International Airshow is taking place from 19-25 July 2010.

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