The Avalon Australian International Airshow 2025 wrapped on Sunday 30 March after six days, with a record industry attendance, a host of major industry announcements and strong public showing.
Avalon Airshow 2025 attracted more than 200,000 attendances in total, including around 60,000 attendances across the three dedicated industry days, more than 10,000 above the 2023 industry total and more than 20,000 over the industry total for the 2019 event.
The industry days included 902 participating exhibitor companies from 28 nations, plus 291 industry, defence and academic delegations from 43 countries. This included 20 Chiefs of Air Force or equivalent, 18 international representatives and 7 US distinguished visitors.
Industry announcements flowed from day one, with the following giving a taste of the variety of activity.
The Australian Government took delivery of the first two of 42 ordered High Mobility Artillery Rocket System [HIMARS] units, which will give the Australian Army the ability to strike targets at a range of more than 500km. Prime contractor Lockheed Martin is proposing an in-country HIMARS sustainment centre and local production of guided Multiple Rocket Launch Systems [MRLS].
The Australian National University launched its bid for a Future of Space Cooperative Research Centre, seeding 2027 funding to drive innovation in microgravity manufacturing, semiconductor technology, and sustainable space operations.
One of the aircraft competing to be the US Air Force’s (USAF’s) first uncrewed fighter jet made its overseas debut at the show, with American defence company Anduril displaying a full-scale model of its Fury design.
Then there was Dovetail Electric Aviation, an Australian company planning to retrofit aircraft with zero-emission electric powertrains. It unveiled its proprietary DovePower integrated electric propulsion system and DovePack battery technology. Dovetail offers a modular approach that allows for both battery-only and hydrogen-electric configurations.
Global training and critical operations provider CAE announced it has been awarded a contract to deliver through-life support for the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s Lockheed Martin C-130J Weapons Trainer Simulator.
In other news, Bombardier Defense announced the sale of two Bombardier Challenger 650 aircraft to Principle Finance, a provider of customised aircraft leasing in Australia. These aircraft will be outfitted for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions, with delivery scheduled for 2026.
On the academic front, Swinburne University high-tech spinout EntroMat announced it will produce Australian-made high-performance High Entropy Material [HEM] powders, developed from recycled industrial feedstocks, for advanced manufacturing and 3D printing facilities.
Australian aerospace start-up Drone Forge and Airbus signed a Letter of Intent to collaborate on the deployment and operational integration of the Flexrotor uncrewed aerial system, a 25-kilogram Vertical Takeoff and Landing [VTOL] uncrewed aircraft designed for Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) missions.
Hydrogen-electric aircraft developer Stralis Aircraft announced a collaboration with New Zealand’s Fabrum and Ara Ake to develop and test liquid hydrogen storage tanks and a fuel system for the Stralis aircraft.
Airbus Helicopters announced local sales of five helicopters, including four twin-engined H145s for New Zealand Search and Rescue Services and a single-engine H125 for Melbourne based operator Microflite.
Boeing displayed its AH-64E Apache attack helicopter, announcing that the first of 29 ordered by the Australian Army has entered final assembly, with four deliveries expected in 2025.
Avalon 2025 also promoted Australian innovation, presenting a total of $130,000 Innovation to four Innovation Pitchfest and Awards winners, who were among 23 finalists delivering a three-minute pitch to an audience of potential investors and customers.
The winners were:
• Avalon 2025 Innovation Award: Herve Aster, Neumann Space, for the company’s electric propulsion drive for satellites.
• Avalon 2025 Young Innovator Award: Edward Robinson, Robinson Aerospace, for his RASCube Educational Satellite Kit, which sees students assemble a realistic replica CubeSat, complete with internal electronics.
• Avalon 2025 Emerging Technology Award: Nishq Ravindranath, Akula Tech Pty Ltd, for the company’s Space-Ready AI Model Optimiser, which offers faster onboard data processing and reduces onboard power and resource demands for various platforms including uncrewed vehicles, robotics and space vehicles.
• Blue Sky Thinking Innovation Award: Clem Newton-Brown, Skyportz, for the company’s patented modular vertipad, designed to make Advanced Air Mobility air taxi operations safer by ameliorating various issues including downwash and outwash from AAM vehicle rotors.
“Avalon 2025 was all about engagement between industry, defence, the aviation and the aerospace community and general public,” said CEO of Avalon Australian International Airshow 2025 organiser AMDA Foundation, Justin Giddings.
“Feedback from our exhibitors and the Air Force is that once again the airshow achieved this with flying colours, including the largest industry presence we have ever had at the event.”
Avalon 2025 featured more than 350 aircraft in the air and on the ground, including 45 aerial display aircraft and 64 exhibited by aviation manufacturers from Bombardier and Dassault to Pilatus, Cessna, Cirrus and Robinson Helicopters.
Avalon 2025 also featured what may have been the largest single aviation industry careers and skills day ever held in Australia, with more than 7000 secondary and tertiary students participating in a program. The program included seminars and presentations from industry, Defence and two astronauts, former NASA astronaut and Shuttle Commander Mike Bloomfield, and Australia’s first Australian-flagged astronaut, Katherine Bennell-Pegg.
The program included a ‘Sky’s The Limit’ speaking program, with industry experts sharing insights and experience of careers in aviation, aerospace, defence and security. The ‘Drone Zone’ saw live demonstrations from professionals in drone racing and autonomous tech, while the STEM Interactive Hub offered hands-on flight simulators. Then there was the Questacon Professional Development Day, which connected educators and career practitioners with industry experts to highlight future opportunities in the defence and aerospace sectors.
“In aviation and aerospace, we are always trying to attract the next generation of innovators, and one of the great experiences of this event was seeing thousands of students learning about how aviation and aerospace can offer exciting and rewarding careers,” said Giddings.
“We look forward to returning in 2027, to again deliver one of the world’s great airshows, for industry and the Australian public.”