France is once again imposing restrictions on Israeli defense companies participating in military exhibitions in Paris, this time ahead of the Euronaval naval defense exhibition, which opens next week. French authorities have informed Israeli companies that they will be permitted to display defensive weapons only, specifically air defense and missile interception systems.
At Eurosatory, a previous defense exhibition held in France, local inspectors classified the Israeli exhibits, and displays they designated as offensive weapons were concealed behind black walls. As in the past, French authorities are also prohibiting official Israeli government representatives, including Defense Ministry officials,
Elbit all set up at Euronaval coneference
from attending the upcoming exhibition. Barring further restrictions, major Israeli defense manufacturers, including Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Rafael, Elbit Systems and Israel Shipyards, are expected to participate in the biennial event.
At the previous Euronaval exhibition, Israeli companies were initially barred from participating altogether. They challenged the ban in a Paris commercial court, arguing that it violated European Union free-market rules, and won their case. However, the ruling came so close to the exhibition's opening that the companies had insufficient time to prepare their displays.
Israeli defense industry: Restrictions will not hurt sales
Israeli defense industry officials say France's restrictions on participation in military exhibitions in Paris have little impact on actual weapons sales. They argue that customers around the world purchase military equipment based on operational requirements, regardless of whether it is displayed at trade shows.
Industry officials accuse France of attempting to undermine Israel's international standing and portray Israeli companies as unwelcome participants. They also argue that the restrictions are motivated by a desire to shield French defense manufacturers from Israeli competition.
Elbit to unveil underwater drone capabilities
Meanwhile, Elbit Systems announced that it will present its unmanned underwater vehicle capabilities at Euronaval for the first time. The company says it has delivered more than 250 underwater vehicles to customers in over 20 countries worldwide.
Its autonomous underwater systems enable integrated operations between unmanned underwater platforms and crewed surface vessels, allowing them to work together on complex maritime missions.
Elbit's portfolio includes underwater vehicles designed for intelligence gathering, mine countermeasures (MCM), anti-submarine warfare (ASW), seabed mapping and the protection of critical maritime infrastructure. The planned presentation comes as Israeli defense companies continue seeking international customers despite the restrictions imposed on their participation in French military exhibitions.