LONDON — BAE Systems is joining Northrop Grumman as another major defense company planning to skip the Paris Air Show in June.
Europe's biggest defense contractor will still have a presence, however, through its involvement with the Eurofighter Typhoon program and the unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) study work it is doing with Dassault Aviation, company officials said.
"In line with our practice of regularly reviewing our presence at international events and exhibitions, BAE Systems has decided it will not be attending the 2015 Paris Air Show," a company spokeswoman said.
The last couple of shows at the Le Bourget airfield just outside Paris have seen the company push the credentials of its Hawk jet trainer as a contender for the US Air Force T-X program and other requirements as well as promote unmanned aerial vehicle capabilities to meet emerging Anglo-French interest generated by the two nations' 2010 defense treaty.
For different reasons, neither requirement is on the radar this time round.
The Hawk has been ejected from the Northrop Grumman-led team vying for the T-X program in favor of a new design, and BAE secured a two-year, £120 million (US $175 million) joint feasibility contract last year in partnership with Dassault and other industry players to take forward UCAV technology.
In the past, BAE executives have also complained privately that the show has never generated the volume of visits expected, given the numerous international delegations that throng the event.
The British-based company joins Northrop Grumman in not attending, meaning two of the world's top six defense companies in the 2014 Defense News Top 100 list not attending Paris this time round.

General Dynamics, another top defense firm, will be there in limited capacity, with its Ordnance and Tactical Systems division attending, as well as business jet subsidiary Gulfstream at the show.
Northrop Grumman hasn't attended either Paris or the Farnborough air show for a while.
The company cited cost and the move to better align its resources to markets as being among the reasons for not attending general air shows.
"In 2012, Northrop Grumman took the decision not to exhibit or offer a business center at the Farnborough International Airshow or the Paris Air Show, based on a number of criteria including cost..... Northrop Grumman continues to focus its international business development activities and resources in country markets around the world where it can support its customers' defense and security needs," said a company spokesman in London.
Show organizers GIFAS (Groupement des Industries Françaises Aéronautiques et Spatiales) appeared unfazed by the big name no shows.
There will be a strong defense presence at the show with tThe French Defense Ministry and displays of companies such as Airbus Helicopter and Thales will contribute to the strong defense presence at the show, a GIFAS spokesman said.
While the US aerospace sector will have a presence, it will be a static one as far as the defense sector is concerned.
The organizers said there are no plans to fly any of the US military aircraft that will be in attendance, including the F-16 and F/A-18.

The US pavilion, though, will be second in size to the local French participation.
More than 250 US companies in the defense and civil sectors are planning to attend the show, with the national pavilion 10 percent larger than the previous Paris show.
This story has been updated to clarify General Dynamics' presence at the show.
Aaron Mehta in Washington contributed to this story.
Andrew Chuter is the United Kingdom correspondent for Defense News.