![\"Dassault](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/SYKL5737-copy-1024x667.jpg\")
<\/p>\nAntoinette Grajeda<\/p>\n
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Dassault Falcon Jet CEO Thierry Betbeze (center) on Dec. 12, 2023 announced the French business jet company would invest \u201ctens of millions\u201d in its Little Rock facility and add 800 jobs to its workforce. At left is Dassault U.S. operations VP Mark Bremer, at right, Arkansas Governor Sarah Sanders. (Photo by John Sykes\/Arkansas Advocate)<\/p>\n
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders will travel to Belgium, England and Ireland next week for an overseas trade mission, officials announced Monday.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sanders\u2019 trip is scheduled from July 19-24 and includes a stop at the Farnborough International Airshow in England and meetings with business and government leaders in Belgium and Ireland, according to a press release<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n The governor will be joined by First Gentleman Bryan Sanders, Chief of Staff Gretchen Conger, Deputy Chief of Staff Judd Deere, and a team from the Arkansas Economic Development Commission led by Commerce Secretary Hugh McDonald and AEDC Director Clint O\u2019Neal, spokesperson Sam Dubke said.<\/p>\n Dubke did not provide an estimated cost of the trip, but said the AEDC Foundation, Department of Commerce and the governor\u2019s office will cover costs as they have for past governors\u2019 trade mission trips for economic development.<\/p>\n Since taking office, Sanders said she\u2019s represented Arkansas at the Farnborough Air Show and the Paris Air Show<\/a>, and secured investments from aerospace and defense leaders.<\/p>\n Arkansas officials\u2019 security records shielded from public under altered FOIA law<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cInternational trade missions offer our team the chance to pitch Arkansas in-person to some of the largest companies in the world, many of which focus on Arkansas\u2019 largest export industry \u2013 aerospace and defense \u2013 and I look forward to telling our great story this year and continuing to attract jobs and investment to the Natural State,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Sanders\u2019 schedule includes meetings with potential investors such as Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics. She also is also appearing at panel discussions and meeting with several ambassadors, including U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom Warren Stephens.\u00a0<\/p>\n Sanders\u2019 previous trips to these airshows have helped secure Dassault Falcon Jet\u2019s $100 million, 800-job expansion<\/a> in Little Rock, RTX\u2019s new, $33 million manufacturing facility<\/a> in East Camden, which was later expanded to a $63 million investment, and Taber Extrusions\u2019 $60 million, 70-job expansion in Russellville, according to the release.\u00a0<\/p>\n Aerospace and defense is Arkansas\u2019 leading export by revenue, according to the state Economic Development Commission<\/a>, with more than 150 industrial facilities and operations in the state.<\/p>\n