Founded in 1908, GIFAS, the French aerospace industries association, has 273 members, from major prime contractors and system suppliers to small specialist companies. They cover the full spectrum of skills from the design, development and production of aerospace systems and equipment to maintenance and operation.
Activities extend from civil and military aircraft and helicopters to engines, missiles and armament, satellites and launch vehicles, UAV, plus aerospace, defense and security major systems, equipment, subassemblies and associated software.

GIFAS has three main objectives:

• To represent and co-ordinate
  

The Board of Administrators, consisting of senior executives of member companies, determines the lines of action to be taken, based on the problems shared by the companies. Actions are taken by the relevant departments in GIFAS on the basis of deliberations by specialized commissions after approval by the Board.
An Equipment Group (GEAD) exists within GIFAS as does an Aero-SME Committee to deal with issues specific to major Equipment companies and SMEs respectively.
Covering the complete range of aerospace activities, GIFAS is the voice of this industry in France and worldwide:

• representing the industry on French, European and international bodies, both public and private
• coordinating industrial and business activities
• harmonizing technical procedures.

• To analyse and defend trade interests promote and train

The analysis and defence of the industry’s interests is a key GIFAS mission. GIFAS critically examines any economic, social, financial, environmental and technical regulations likely to affect its members’ general interests, whether proposed at French, European or international level. This work covers the General states of the industry, the Europe of Defence, R&D, transatlantic relations, SME support, international intelligence, public markets, environment and sustainable development, security, certifications and standards, tax, risk prevention and insurances.
At a time when the proportion of civil to military business is changing, more countries are setting up their own aerospace industries, and international cooperation can only increase, GIFAS has a crucial role to play.

• To promote and train

To promote the French aerospace industry and its products, Gifas:

• participates in trade shows and events;
• organizes exhibitions, trade and fact-finding missions;
• distributes information to trade and general media plus public and government authorities in France and worldwide;
• organizes the Paris Air Show held at Le Bourget every two years.

In liaison with universities, engineering schools and similar institutions, Gifas contributes to French training programmes open to trainees from selected countries. This work is undertaken in cooperation with the Institut Aéronautique et Spatial (IAS).
Gifas is a member of:

• ASD, Aerospace and Defence Industries Association of Europe;
• CIDEF, the French defence industries council;
• MEDEF, the French employers' association;
• GFI, the industrial federations organization.