2026 Flag Ceremony: a tradition of commitment and excellence

Institute, Training Defense and Security

On Wednesday, March 4, 2026, the traditional Flag Ceremony took place on the ENSTA campus in Brest, a solemn and symbolic event for engineering students studying weapons systems and technology (IETA). These students chose a dual commitment, engineering and military, upon their admission to the school. Upon completion of their training, they will practice their engineering professions in various fields of expertise within the centers of the Directorate General of Armament (DGA). This year, the ceremony was presided over by Alexandre Lahousse, General Engineer of the Exceptional Class of Armament and Deputy Director General of the DGA, in the presence of military authorities, staff, and civilian students of ENSTA.

Transmission of values

Each year, the Fanion ceremony marks the transmission of the values of excellence and commitment between the graduating classes of IETA students. Before leaving for their end-of-studies internships, the third-year students symbolically handed over the fanion to their second-year classmates, thus perpetuating a tradition of armament engineering and technical studies. As for the first-year students, they received the school's insignia, marking their entry into ENSTA.

Several IETA students were honored during the ceremony, receiving the National Defense Medal and letters of commendation for their commitment, particularly during their first year of immersion in the armed forces.

Aujourd’hui, je suis très fier d’être face à vous et de vous accueillir à l’ENSTA pour les uns, et bientôt à la DGA pour les autres.
La DGA vous offre des perspectives importantes et variées : experts techniques, chefs de projet, architectes de capacités, responsables d’achats ou de finances, innovateurs, orienteurs industriels ou engagés sur des projets internationaux. Autant de possibilités d’être au cœur des choix structurants pour les décennies à venir.
Dans un monde plus dur, plus contesté, plus imprévisible, la France a besoin d’ingénieurs compétents. Mais elle a surtout besoin d’ingénieurs engagés. C’est ce qu’incarnent les ingénieurs des corps de l’armement.

Alexandre Lahousse Directeur Général Adjoint de la DGA
Speech by Alexandre Lahousse, Deputy Director General of the DGA
Passing of the Flag
IETA Song

Training engineers in the service of defense

IETA students, who come from preparatory classes and are admitted through the Mines-Télécom joint competitive examination, undergo demanding training that combines academic and technical excellence, industrial immersion, and military commitment. After a year of human and military training immersed in the armed forces, they join the ENSTA campus in Brest to receive a general education in science, technology, and the humanities, before specializing in key areas of expertise in defense programs: naval systems, land systems, digital systems, AI, robotics, pyrotechnics, aeronautics, and space. These specializations are taught at the ENSTA campuses in Brest and Paris-Saclay and at ISAE-Supaéro in Toulouse.

At the end of the ceremony, discussions were organized between faculty members, doctoral students, and Alexandre Lahousse, Deputy Director General of the DGA, who was visiting the ENSTA campus in Brest for the first time.

He was presented with research projects in mechanical and digital sciences directly related to defense issues.

Presentation of research activities in robotics

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