Paris Games Week 2026 : Alphajet and Air Force Experiences

A blue, white and red Alphajet gives the French Air and Space Force a striking presence at Paris Games Week 2026. Displayed in Patrouille de France colours, the aircraft introduces a physical encounter with aviation into an event dominated by screens, controllers and playable demonstrations. Its raised cockpit canopies, exposed landing gear and surrounding access equipment invite attention to details that a distant flying display rarely allows spectators to examine.

Running from October 22 to 25 at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, the show presents its fifteenth edition as the Playground Edition. We attended the press preview on October 21, before the public opening. Against that wider backdrop, the aviation exhibit provides a focused story of its own: an aircraft attracts attention, while the accompanying activities introduce the people and professions involved in military flying.

Open cockpits and small details tell the story

The photographs reveal how the display works at ground level. A metal staircase and platform stand beside the tandem cockpit, with both canopies raised in several views. Personnel in green flight suits are positioned around the aircraft, while barriers separate the installation from the exhibition aisles. From the front, the nose wheel and narrow fuselage give a different impression from the broad sweep of the wings seen in the side views.

One particularly revealing detail is the change in perspective between photographs. Wider shots establish the aircraft’s footprint beneath the exhibition hall’s lighting and roof structure; closer views draw attention to the cockpit seats, a helmet and the lettering beneath the canopy. These details give the exhibit a human scale. The aircraft is presented alongside the equipment and personnel associated with it, making the space more than a backdrop for a souvenir picture.

From the Alphajet display to aviation activities at A64

A recruitment panel photographed beside the aircraft provides a practical connection to the rest of the exhibit. It promotes Reaper drone pilot careers and points visitors towards stand A64. This small piece of signage helps explain the relationship between the eye-catching aircraft and the wider presence of the French Air and Space Force: the display serves as an introduction, while the stand provides a place to explore the subjects raised by that first encounter.

In its October 19 announcement, the ministry describes a 180 m² stand built around a recreated air-base environment. It also locates the Alphajet near the show’s exit. The two locations connect the static display with the interactive programme.
The official PGW press dossier lists Rafale and drone simulators, intelligence-related activities, operational demonstrations and esports. Taken together, those themes extend the experience beyond the familiar image of a pilot at the controls. They introduce the preparation, information and teamwork associated with aviation, while using interactive formats that fit naturally into a games exhibition.

Rafale simulation and demonstrations beyond the screen

The ministry’s announced programme identifies three demonstration themes: preparing an aircraft before a mission, an air-force firefighter intervention and a scenario involving fusilier commandos. It also mentions pilot equipment and a Rafale reproduction made from construction toys. These elements give the stand several points of entry, from an interest in aircraft to curiosity about the specialist work surrounding them.

There is an interesting editorial contrast between the two parts of the installation. A simulator represents flight through an interface; the static Alphajet makes the aircraft’s shape and physical arrangement visible. Seeing the wing, undercarriage and cockpit at close range can prompt different questions from those raised by a screen-based activity. The exhibition’s value lies partly in allowing those two perspectives to sit alongside each other.

Gaming audiences meet the people behind military aviation

Recruitment is an explicit part of the presence. The official press dossier states that nearly 4,000 young people join the French Air and Space Force annually across more than 50 professions. These figures describe annual recruitment across the institution, rather than applications made at the show.

That approach connects with the wider Playground Edition described in the official show materials. Organisers advertise more than 100 playable games and cite a 2025 visitor survey in which 83% of attendees came to try games. The aviation programme adopts a similar emphasis on participation, while pursuing its own stated objective of introducing military careers to a new generation.

A memorable aircraft with a clear purpose

The Alphajet makes the recruitment message tangible without requiring a technical explanation before visitors can engage. Its colours catch the eye, its open cockpit draws attention, and the surrounding signage points towards further discovery. The photographs capture that progression particularly well: a recognisable aircraft, a closer look at its working environment, then a practical direction towards the main stand.

For this edition of Paris Games Week, the result is a distinctive meeting between gaming culture and an aviation institution. The strongest impression comes from the aircraft’s physical presence and the people around it. Alongside the announced simulations and demonstrations, it gives visitors several ways to approach a subject that extends well beyond the exhibition floor.

You can discover our photos in our Flickr page

Event recap

French Air and Space Force — Aviation and career discovery.
Where : Stand A64 at Paris Games Week.
When : During the October 22–25 exhibition; individual activity times depend on the programme.
What : Announced Rafale and drone simulators, intelligence activities, operational demonstrations, esports and opportunities to discover aviation professions.

Photos: Boris Colletier / Mulderville