Farnborough Airshow opens; Boeing debuts MQ-28 Ghost Bat

The Farnborough International Airshow, the aerospace industry's biggest gathering, opened July 20 for a five-day run, with Boeing giving its uncrewed MQ-28 Ghost Bat collaborative combat aircraft its first static display at the show alongside a full-size 777X cabin mock-up and a T-7 trainer flight deck. Aviation-analytics firm IBA forecast up to 875 aircraft orders, options and commitments across the week - a rebound from the roughly 438 booked at Farnborough 2024 - though delivery slots sold out into the 2030s mean attention is as much on production as on fresh demand. Carriers including Etihad, Philippine Airlines and Riyadh Air are expected to firm up widebody deals with Boeing and Airbus during the event.