Toulouse. Francazal Airport, France: AURA AERO, as an innovative European manufacturer, combines industrial sovereignty and decarbonisation to develop a new generation of aircraft. Beyond its low-carbon programmes, the company is deploying across its entire range a dual strategy – civilian and military – drawing on the pooling of its technological bricks. Therefore the company has appointed Air Force General Stéphane Mille to the position of Chief Defence Officer.
In charge of leading the group’s Defence activity, he will head the military applications of the INTEGRAL and ERA aircraft and the ramp-up of a sovereign drone capability around ENBATA (MALE multi-mission drone). He will head the defence roadmap and the operational dialogue with the French DGA (Direction Générale de l’Armement – French defence procurement agency), the armed forces, and the European/export partners, strengthening capacity consistency and industrial ramp-up by bringing together the ecosystem to ensure a sovereign supply chain and on-time deliveries.
Jérémy Caussade, CEO and co-founder of AURA AERO, commented, “We are very proud to welcome Général Mille within our team. His arrival at AURA AERO is a strong signal for our Defence roadmap. His operational experience, his expertise and his strategic vision will help us accelerate the maturity of our programmes, for the military applications of our aircraft INTEGRAL and ERA and for our drone ENBATA , in a sovereign, efficient and cost-controlled manner, to serve the armed forces, in France and worldwide.”
Former Chief of Staff of the French Air and Space Force (from 2021 to 2024), General Stéphane Mille will bring more than 30 years of operational experience to the manufacturer, acquired notably internationally and at the highest levels of the French armed forces. A fighter pilot (Mirage F1, Mirage 2000), he has taken part in numerous overseas operations (Chad, former Yugoslavia, Kosovo, Saudi Arabia, Sahel). General Mille notably commanded the Operations Planning and Conduct Center from 2018 to 2020, before being appointed Deputy Chief of Operations at the French Armed Forces Headquarters from 2020 to 2021, then Chief of Staff of French Armed Forces in July 2021, a position he held until 2024.
General Mille is also a Commander of the Legion of Honor and a Grand Officer of the National Order of Merit.
The General is delighted to join the French manufacturer’s team: “Joining AURA AERO is joining an innovative company, composed of aviation enthusiasts, a company capable of quickly imagining and developing solutions tailored to the needs of modern armies. I am delighted and proud to join AURA AERO and contribute to the rise of a national aircraft manufacturer. The three families of aircraft currently under development will undoubtedly find military applications.”
INTEGRAL is a new generation two-seater trainer aircraft, with aerobatic capabilities. Already available with a thermal engine, it will soon be available in an electric version (certification in 2026 and deliveries starting in 2027). INTEGRAL is the ideal aircraft for selection or ab initio military pilot training. By introducing INTEGRAL E, the electric version, into their fleets, armed forces can halve their operating costs, while beginning their transition to decarbonisation.
INTEGRAL has already attracted the interest of several armed forces and AURA AERO has already responded to several international calls for tenders.
ERA, a hybrid-electric 19-seater regional aircraft, is due to enter into service before 2030. Its propulsion system — eight electric motors supported by two turbo generators — significantly reduces noise pollution and promises up to 80% fewer emissions compared to thermal aircraft in its category. Designed from the outset for dual use, it comes in civilian (passengers, business, cargo, special missions) and military (troop transport, medical evacuation, cargo).
Inconspicuous, capable of operating on short and non-prepared runways, ERA boasts reduced operating and maintenance costs and already has an order book of more than 650 letters of intent.
ENBATA is a sovereign and multi-mission MALE drone, high-performing and at controlled costs, unveiled at Paris Air Show 2025. Designed and manufactured in a certified environment, in coordination with civilian and military
authorities, ENBATA is ITAR-free and is designed for ISR missions (strategic long distance intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance), army reconnaissance, electronic war, maritime surveillance, communications relay or anti-drone warfare. With a maximum mass of 2 tons, ENBATA can carry up to 1 ton of payload, and has a range of up to 55 hours. The programme is supported by a French industrial ecosystem, including Safran, Thales, Aresia and Merio. It was selected last June by the French DGA for its selection of MALE projects.
