Image source: Phoenix Equipment Company Facebook page

On 10–12 March, a delegation from the Ukrainian Cluster Alliance (UCA) took part in the JEC World 2026 exhibition in Paris – the world’s leading event in the field of composite materials. The event brought together over a thousand companies from the EU, North America and Asia, including leaders from the aerospace, automotive and defence industries. The mission was initiated by the management of the United Innovative Space Clusters and supported at UCA level, primarily by the Dual-Use Technologies Cluster.

The aim of participation was exploratory – as a joint delegation, Ukrainian clusters took part in an exhibition in this sector for the first time. At the same time, and given the rapid growth in the use of composites in the manufacture of drones and rockets, we set ourselves the task of understanding the technology stack, key technological trends and categories of potential partnerships, as well as accelerating the integration of Ukrainian clusters into European value chains.

Key technological trends at JEC World 2026

Based on the results of the meeting, the delegation members can identify the following technological trends

1. The shift from metal to composites in load-bearing structures

The winners of the JEC Innovation Awards demonstrate the systematic replacement of metal with composites in aviation, transport and energy: from wing load-bearing elements and hydrogen tanks to railway infrastructure and ship propellers.

For Ukraine, this means that the use of glass and carbon fibre composites in drones and rockets is not ‘exotic’, but a new industrial standard that should be incorporated into technical specifications right now.

2. Explosive growth of thermoplastic composites

A number of winning projects are based on thermoplastic matrices (PA6, PPS, PEEK), which allow parts to be rapidly formed by compression moulding or thermoforming, as well as welding components without adhesive.

Thermoplastics are becoming a key technology for mass production: they combine high impact strength, repairability and recyclability – characteristics that are critical for mass-produced UAV airframes.

3. Industrialisation of processes: RTM, infusion, pultrusion

The Live Demo Zone showcased fully operational vacuum infusion and Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM) lines, designed to produce dozens of parts per day with real-time process parameter control.

Pultrusion and automated braiding were presented as core processes for the mass production of spars, profiles and cable-supported structures – with a significant reduction in cost per metre of product.

4. ‘digital thread’ from design to repair

One of the Innovation Awards winners presented a digital thread for aerospace and defence structures: from design to production, non-destructive testing and repair management.

Such approaches directly address the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ need to rapidly repair UAVs and missile systems in the field based on data regarding actual loads and damage.

5. Circularity and recycling

A separate category of awards focused on the processing of composites: from the reuse of A380 components in new-generation aircraft to the combination of recycled fibres and bio-based resins in sports equipment and infrastructure.

European partners expect new projects to take disposal and recycling into account from the outset; for Ukraine, this creates additional opportunities to attract EU grant programmes for ‘green’ production.

What does this mean for the Ukrainian drone and missile industry?

There are currently hundreds of companies in Ukraine developing and manufacturing UAVs, but the level of localisation of composite materials and processes remains limited: plywood, basic plastics and hand-lay-up are widely used.

A comparison with the JEC World 2026 trends reveals several specific areas of development:

1. The transition to fibreglass and hybrid sandwich structures for wings and fuselages.

The use of foam cores (PVC, PET, PU, EPP) and infused glass fabric allows the weight of the UAV structure to be reduced by 30–60% compared to plywood, whilst increasing service life and geometric stability.

2. Launch of medium-volume RTM/infusion production lines.

For standard platforms (wingspan 1–2 m, weight 1–20 kg), closed-mould RTM and vacuum infusion appear to be the optimal solutions, delivering consistent quality for production runs of hundreds or thousands of airframes per month.

3. The development of thermoplastic composites for mass-produced airframes.

Thermoplastic glass and carbon fibre composites (e.g. PA6/GF), combined with compression moulding, make it possible to move from ‘artisanal’ production to genuine drone manufacturing, whilst retaining the ability to repair and refurbish the airframes.

4. Preparation for composite rocket casings and thermal protection.

LewaCo and other award-winners in the field of liquid hydrogen tanks are demonstrating technologies for thermoplastic CFRP tanks resistant to cryogenic cracking. These solutions can be adapted for solid-propellant engine casings and rocket technology components.

5. Focus on digitalisation and recycling as part of Ukraine’s offering.

Participation in European projects requires the integration of digital process monitoring (sensors, data collection) and material recycling scenarios from the outset, as well as during the modernisation of existing production facilities.

Opportunities and prospects for cluster cooperation

Entering the market through partner clusters that already have in-depth expertise in composites currently appears to be the quickest and most effective route. Throughout the exhibition, we held meetings at our partners’ stands:

• The French clusters Albatros and POLYMERIS (APPAU partners in the IDEALIST project)
• The German Composite United cluster and the Polish Composites Cluster – partners of the UCA and our SAMT cluster since 2023
• Participants from other German stands, notably Saxony – as a result of previous missions to Saxony

In response to the pre-defined profiles of companies of interest to the Ukrainian delegation, our partners’ cluster coordinators selected their participantsків чи партнерів, – швидко, релевантно та ефективно. Учасники української делегації, зокрема, інжиніринговий центр SolarAir залишились дуже задоволеними результатами цих зустрічей. 

Results of the trip and next steps for the UCA

Overall, during the three days of JEC World, the UCA delegation held dozens of meetings with manufacturers of composite materials and equipment, as well as R&D centres from France, Germany, Poland, Italy and other countries. The parties outlined a number of areas for further cooperation:

• joint pilot projects for the production of composite platforms for UAVs at Ukrainian facilities;
• technical training and exchange programmes for engineers, particularly regarding RTM, pultrusion and thermoplastic composites;
• the establishment in Ukraine of a demonstration line for the production of sandwich wings and fuselages made of GFRP for mass-produced drones;
• the participation of Ukrainian clusters in European consortia working on hydrogen tanks, composite pipelines and digital repair technologies.

Members of the delegation share their feedback:

“Taking part in JEC World 2026 was a wonderful opportunity to learn about the latest trends in the development of composite materials and to expand my network of contacts with industry professionals and research institutions working in this field. It is pleasing to see that our international colleagues are genuinely interested in Ukrainian research and innovation. My key takeaways from the exhibition:

• materials science is becoming increasingly ‘greener’: the recycling of composites and biomaterials are no longer just buzzwords, but a reality in manufacturing.
• collaboration is the new currency: major research and projects will require international partnerships.”

(Marina Storozhenko, senior researcher at the Frantsevich Institute of Materials Science)

“Our clusters have joined forces and managed to put together a delegation. This demonstrates our interest in this sector and our readiness to move forward. A big thank you to our association of innovative space clusters for this initiative. My main impressions of the exhibition: excellent organisation, a strong representation of all key trends across various segments, and plenty of new contacts and potential partnerships. It is very good that we organised a high-level Ukrainian panel – this significantly raises awareness of Ukraine and our needs.” (Oleksandr Yurchak, Director of the UCA)

The UCA will continue to work towards ensuring that Ukrainian clusters become full partners in European composite supply chains – from drones and missiles to energy and transport. This is crucial both for Ukraine’s defence capabilities and for its integration into the EU’s future ‘green’ and high-tech economy.