Over the next month, ADS will be in Qatar, Bahrain and China, promoting ADS members and highlighting the importance of UK exports.

The UK Aerospace, Defence, Security and Space sectors generate a significant economic benefit to the UK through exports. ADS supports our sectors, acting as a useful partner for delivering trade objectives by facilitating exposure to global customers at major international events throughout the year.

In 2017, the ADS sectors’ contribution to the UK economy included a £74bn turnover with £41bn in exports. ADS’s presence at international exhibitions over the next month outlines the strategic importance of defence and security exports and how this leads to sustaining high-skill jobs and an industrial base in the UK. Exhibiting at these international exhibitions facilitates interoperability as well as strengthens security relationships with our global partners.

All of ADS’s sectors say that growth is driven by exports. For the aerospace industry, 90% of turnover is generated by exports as production levels for commercial aircraft continue to increase, more and more businesses are looking at opportunities for growth from new export markets. For the defence sector, the UK is one of the world’s most successful defence exporters, averaging second place in the global rankings on a rolling ten-year basis. Meanwhile the Security sector continues to grow rapidly with the UK being the fourth largest exporter in the sector, upwards from fifth in 2016.

As ADS sectors look to overseas markets to drive further growth, we also face the uncertainties of associated with the UK’s exit from the European Union. With this in mind, continued government support for export campaigns will be vital to ensuring the UK remains one of the most successful exporters in the world.

This month we will be showcasing UK expertise and capabilities at three exhibitions

  • In Qatar, ADS in partnership with UK Government, is once again planning the UK Pavilion at Milipol at the end of this month. Milipol is the leading international exhibition dedicated to homeland security with Middle East. Amongst the exhibitors is Basis Technology, whose natural language processing application successfully alerted officials to the ‘liquid bomb plot’ in 2006 before any disaster occurred. This is just one example of the kind of important technology the UK has to offer to its international partners.
  • Meanwhile, at the beginning of November, ADS will be exhibiting at the China Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition (Airshow China) in Zhuhai.  ADS are hosting the first UK Pavilion in partnership with the UK Government.
  • Finally, the Bahrain International Airshow  in mid-November will focus on commercial aerospace, offering access to high-level delegations within the aerospace community. The UK Pavilion hosted by ADS, allows companies of all sizes to showcase their innovative products and services.

Learn more about the other international shows where ADS will be promoting exports this year and into next year.