At a time when the aeronautics, space and defence sectors are gaining renewed strategic relevance for both Portugal and Europe, the first day of the 12th edition of AED Days confirmed the growing maturity and ambition of the national ecosystem. More than 450 participants, representing 268 companies and national and international entities, gathered at Taguspark, in Oeiras, where over 290 B2B meetings were also held throughout the day.
With a diverse agenda, closely aligned with European and transatlantic priorities, the event brought together decision-makers, business leaders, and military and institutional representatives at a particularly challenging moment for Europe and the world.
Right from the opening session, José Neves, President of AED Cluster Portugal, set the tone: “We do not want to discuss only percentages and billions, but to understand the capabilities, the talent, and the infrastructure that Portugal and Europe need for the future.” His address focused on the importance of strategic vision and sustained action, highlighting opportunities in areas such as advanced air mobility (AAM), predictive maintenance and space.
Francisco Costa Gonçalves, Deputy Mayor of Oeiras, reinforced the municipality’s role as a hub of innovation and national technology, recalling both its historical heritage and current contribution to the AED ecosystem.
On a strategic note, Ricardo Conde, President of the Portuguese Space Agency, stressed that the security and sustainability agendas must move forward together, and that space today plays a critical role in European sovereignty. “If we all wish, the world can be extraordinary,” he affirmed, issuing a call to action.
A broader geopolitical perspective was offered by Paulo Portas, who warned of the risks of European stagnation in terms of innovation and competitiveness. “If we choose to, we can once again become an epicentre of growth, innovation and creativity,” he emphasised, while also addressing the strategic challenges posed by the war in Ukraine and the reshaping of global supply chains.
Heriberto Saldivar, of ESA, underlined the importance of the upcoming Ministerial Council and ESA’s 2040 Strategy, praising Portugal’s positioning and its potential to grow in areas such as Earth observation, AI and secure communications.
Opportunities in AAM were explored in detail by Sven Kopera, of Roland Berger, who highlighted Portugal’s already solid foundation in this field and the importance of accelerating project implementation.
The panel on global partnerships brought complementary perspectives on how to strengthen European industrial sovereignty without closing off to the world. Jose Luis de Miguel Cortes (Airbus), Alexander Lukiancik Paraskiva (Damen), Élise Racicot (Canadian Ambassador to Portugal) and Thierry Closset (EDA) agreed on the need to foster long-term cooperation, simplify processes and integrate more SMEs and startups into major European programmes.
The afternoon sessions focused on collaborative innovation and current Armed Forces programmes. Admiral Jorge Nobre de Sousa made it clear: “Today, it is no longer enough to innovate behind closed doors. It is necessary to test and iterate in real environments, with the users.”
General Cartaxo Alves presented the transformation path of the Portuguese Air and Space Force, with a strong emphasis on connectivity and the space domain, working in close partnership with national industry.
International industrial players also had a strong presence on this first day. J. R. McDonald, of Lockheed Martin, underlined the company’s desire to build long-term partnerships with Portuguese industry. Nathalie Hellard-Lambic, of Airbus, highlighted the company’s growing footprint in Portugal, now the 5th largest Airbus country in Europe in terms of industrial presence.
Daniel Boestad, of SAAB, stressed the open architecture and continuous evolution philosophy of the Gripen E, inviting collaboration with Portuguese industry. Volker Magunna, of Lufthansa Technik, presented the group’s new investment in Santa Maria da Feira, which has already launched its first training centre and aims to become a sustainable growth project in Portugal.
The innovation panel, focused on disruptive technologies, reinforced that co-creation and collaboration are key words for the future. Ron Nulkes (NIAG), João Galego (Critical Software), Olivier Choury (MDA) and Hugo Chambel (AVP) all highlighted the importance of building open ecosystems where startups, SMEs, large companies and Armed Forces can work together in an integrated and agile way.
The day closed with Lieutenant General Maia Pereira, who presented the Portuguese Army’s vision through to 2045. “The time for expectation is over. Now is the time for initiative,” he stated, advocating for accelerated modernisation and a collaborative innovation model involving academia, industry and international partners.
The balance of the first day left no room for doubt: Portugal now has an AED ecosystem increasingly aligned with European and transatlantic priorities, and an ever-growing ambition to strengthen its strategic role in these sectors. AED Days continue to stand out as a central platform for consolidating this trajectory, and the second day promises to further reinforce this dynamic.
