23 April 2026
Event
On Tuesday, April 14, ISAE-SUPAERO had the honor of welcoming IGCEA Alexandre Lahousse, General Engineer of the Armaments Directorate (DGA) in the exceptional class and Deputy Director General of the DGA, and a Supaero alumnus from the class of 2000.
A changing world
In a context marked by the return of high-intensity conflicts, the hybridisation of threats and the acceleration of technological breakthroughs, the DGA occupies a central position: anticipating, innovating and equipping.
Created 65 years ago by General de Gaulle and Pierre Messmer, this administration, unique in Europe in its nature and model, remains a pillar of French sovereignty.
Over the past two years, the budget of the Ministry of the Armed Forces has doubled. The rearmament effort is real, collective and necessary.
Technological challenges at the forefront
Artificial intelligence, drones, electronic warfare, cyber security, Big Data: the field of conflict is expanding. The DGA’s technical expertise, its ability to anticipate developments, to lead major programmes and to understand the industrial fabric, is a major differentiating asset for France.
The aeronautics and space sectors were the focus of particular attention. In space, the need for connectivity, imaging and navigation is exploding. NewSpace is upsetting the balance. DGA is supporting this transformation:
- support for innovation
- access to European funding
- taking stakes in investment funds, etc.
Research and training at the heart of defence
A tour of our facilities, Innovspace and the Electronics, Optronics and Signal Department (DEOS), provided a concrete illustration of what ISAE-SUPAERO brings to this ecosystem: top-level research that is directly relevant to the challenges of defence and European sovereignty.
As an institute under the supervision of the French defence procurement agency (DGA), ISAE-SUPAERO trains the engineers who will design tomorrow’s aeronautical, space, digital and defence systems.
A message addressed to our students resonated strongly: “Graduates of ISAE-SUPAERO have a real key to understanding the challenges of tomorrow. Developing the ability to analyse and understand the world as it evolves is essential for the jobs that await them.
It’s a mission that we at ISAE-SUPAERO carry out with rigour and ambition.
Thank you to IGCEA Alexandre Lahousse for the quality and frankness of his exchanges with our community. A conference that reminds us why the training of top-level engineers is also an issue of sovereignty.
My message is simple: train hard, because it is your generation that will decide the future of our defence.
IGCEA Alexandre Lahousse Engineer General of Armaments and Deputy Director General of DGA