MSPO is one of the highest-value contracting forums in Europe: the 2025 edition saw over PLN 6 billion in defence contracts signed on-site, making it a critical venue for business development in Central and Eastern European procurement markets. Poland's status as one of the EU's most active defence spenders — with the largest NATO GDP-percentage defence budget — gives suppliers direct access to live procurement pipelines and senior ministry decision-makers. For SMEs and startups, the Canadian Lead Nation programme, B2B matchmaking, and the DEFENDER awards offer structured pathways to partnerships, export opportunities, and visibility with global primes and government buyers.
Podkarpackie is one of Central Europe's most established aerospace manufacturing bases, and this summit is the region's strategic move to pivot from aviation to drone/dual-use technology — directly relevant to defence suppliers and SMEs seeking to enter or expand in the UAS and dual-use market. The co-located Dual Use Challenge pitch finals offer startups direct access to VC funds, investors, and industrial primes on a single day. For defence-adjacent firms, the live airfield showcase at Stalowa Wola–Turbia — including counter-drone systems — provides rare hands-on demonstration access in a NATO-ally operational context.
The event offers defence suppliers direct access to NATO commanders, Romanian and allied military leadership, and procurement decision-makers on NATO's Eastern Flank at a time of accelerated regional spending. Its focus on accelerated procurement, SAFE-fund allocation and rapid innovation adoption makes it a relevant business-development venue for SMEs and startups seeking to align products—counter-UAS, air defence, C2, EW, ISR and autonomy—with alliance requirements.
For SMEs and startups, the Innovation Challenge is one of the few structured, low-barrier routes to direct engagement with NATO operational stakeholders and decision-makers, offering prize funding (up to €250,000 in recent editions) and a credible proof-of-concept platform that can accelerate adoption pathways. Winning teams gain visibility at NATO-wide events, direct collaboration with Allied Command Transformation, and the prospect of rapid-prototyping contracts — making it a high-leverage market-entry mechanism for dual-use technology firms. The twice-yearly cadence and rotating national hosts mean there are multiple entry points per year across different technology domains.
Demo days & pitch eventsEuropeNATOIntimate (<500)Entry budgetSMEsStartups+1
As Poland's first trade fair focused exclusively on drones and counter-UAS systems, DSE gives suppliers, SMEs and startups direct access to Polish uniformed services, military, critical-infrastructure managers and energy/telecom operators at a time of heightened regional demand for C-UAS capability. The event's live demonstration zones and decision-maker networking offer a practical route to test products and reach procurement-relevant buyers. Its debut status makes it a lower-cost early-mover opportunity in a fast-growing Central European security market.
The anchor event for anyone selling to the US Army. Program offices and primes are present in force; ideal for SMEs seeking subcontracting and teaming opportunities.
The fastest way for engineers and early founders to plug into the European defence-tech builder scene, meet operators and get noticed by funds active in the space.
SOFEX is the only dedicated SOF and homeland-security exhibition in the Middle East and North Africa, making it the primary gateway for defence suppliers seeking access to Arab and broader MENA procurement communities. Delegations are headed by Ministers of Defence, Chiefs of Staff, and Special Operations Commanders, meaning exhibitors engage directly with senior decision-makers and procurement directorates rather than intermediaries. For SMEs and startups, the new Elite Badge tier and digital matchmaking programme lower the barrier to securing pre-arranged meetings with high-value buyers.
BAMEX is the only defense trade show in the Sahel region with dedicated live-demonstration days before procuring delegations, giving exhibitors direct access to heads of state offices, ministries of defense, general staff, and procurement authorities from up to 54 African nations in a single venue. For SMEs and startups, it offers a rare early-mover opportunity in one of the world's fastest-growing defense markets, where demand for border security, UAS, counter-UAS, and soldier systems is acute. The organizers project up to $500 million in business volume per edition, making it a commercially high-stakes platform despite its relatively compact size.
INTERPOLITEX is the primary domestic marketplace where Russian federal security agencies (MoD, MVD, FSB, Rosgvardiya, MChS, FSVTS) conduct live equipment monitoring and competitive selection, making it the single most direct channel for Russian and CIS-friendly suppliers to reach government procurement decision-makers. More than 50% of visitors hold purchasing authority or directly influence procurement decisions, and the event is formally included in the MoD congress-exhibition plan. For SMEs and startups, the «National Security» innovation competition provides a structured route to expert evaluation and visibility with state customers.
CMPE Shenzhen is one of China's largest dedicated military-police equipment expos, directly connecting suppliers with procurement decision-makers from the PLA, People's Armed Police, public security bureaus, and emergency management agencies — making it the primary gateway for domestic and foreign vendors seeking access to Chinese government and law-enforcement buyers. For SMEs and technology companies in counter-UAS, surveillance, soldier systems, and emergency response, the expo offers direct product demonstration opportunities and procurement leads in a market that is otherwise difficult to penetrate. The event's co-organizers include state defence-industrial conglomerates (CASIC, CASC, AVIC, CSSC, NORINCO Group), giving exhibitors rare visibility with institutional end-users and state-owned enterprise buyers.
With 250+ senior defence, government, and industry representatives attending, this is one of the UK's most focused annual forums for UGV and UAS procurement discussions, making it a direct channel to British Army, NATO, and allied acquisition decision-makers. SMEs and technology startups can access dedicated exhibition and roundtable partnership slots that place emerging autonomous solutions in front of programme managers and capability developers. The co-location with International Dismounted Soldier amplifies cross-domain relevance for suppliers covering soldier systems, robotics, and human-machine teaming.
The event serves as an entry point for dual-use technology suppliers, sensor manufacturers, and unmanned systems developers seeking commercial and public-sector security contracts in East China. It highlights the integration of AI, autonomous platforms, and counter-UAS capabilities into municipal and critical infrastructure protection.
The entry point to Gulf defence budgets and offset programs. High-value procurement decisions are made here; relationship-building and local partner introductions matter more than booth size.
Poland is a frontline NATO state rapidly scaling its drone procurement and C-UAS capabilities, making Warsaw an increasingly strategic market for UAS suppliers targeting defence and dual-use contracts in Central and Eastern Europe. Co-location with the broader Warsaw Security & Defence Expo block gives exhibitors direct access to uniformed services, government procurement representatives, and defence-adjacent buyers in a single venue. For SMEs and startups, the event's relatively low entry costs and regional profile offer a cost-efficient route to the Polish and wider CEE market before competing at larger global shows.
Soldier modernisation programs are recurring and broad. A focused venue for firms in wearables, power, optics and edge compute to reach program offices.
DWC is the single most important annual procurement and partnership event for the global UAV supply chain, offering direct access to Chinese manufacturers who dominate 70%+ of the consumer drone market and nearly 50% of the industrial drone market worldwide. For defence suppliers and dual-use SMEs, the dedicated low-altitude security and counter-UAS exhibition zone (Hall 5 in 2026) and associated forums provide unmatched visibility into Chinese C-UAS technology trends and potential export partners. The event's scale — 1,200+ exhibitors and 180,000+ visitors in 2026 — makes it an essential intelligence-gathering venue for any organisation tracking UAS threats, capabilities, or supply-chain dependencies.
CMPE is the largest and most specialized military and police equipment event in Northern China, offering direct access to procurement decision-makers from the PLA Central Military Commission departments, People's Armed Police headquarters, Ministry of Public Security, and major theater commands — making it the primary gateway for domestic and international suppliers seeking to enter China's military and law-enforcement supply chain. For SMEs and technology firms, the concurrent high-level forums and the presence of all major state-owned defence groups provide unmatched intelligence on PLA and PAP procurement priorities and technology roadmaps. The Beijing location concentrates the highest density of Chinese defence institutional buyers of any domestic security trade show.
DefenPol China is one of the very few recurring export-oriented defence trade shows held inside mainland China, giving foreign buyers direct access to Chinese state-owned defence enterprises and SME innovators that rarely exhibit abroad. For international suppliers and dual-use technology firms, it offers a rare channel into China's defence procurement ecosystem and a platform to meet Belt and Road country delegations in a single venue. The show's biennial cadence and growing international visitor base from 40+ countries make it a meaningful intelligence-gathering and partnership-development event for companies tracking Chinese defence export trends.
As the world's reference platform for internal/homeland security, Milipol Paris concentrates buyers from ministries, police, customs and defence agencies plus 160+ official delegations in one place, making it a prime lead-generation and export venue. For SMEs and startups, dedicated Newcomers Villages, the Milipol LAB and the Innovation Awards offer visibility to government and prime-contractor buyers that is otherwise hard to reach. The biennial cadence and strong international attendance make securing a stand a strategic decision for suppliers targeting security and dual-use markets.
Tied directly to Saudi localisation (Vision 2030) targets and large procurement budgets. Localisation and joint-venture commitments are often the price of entry.
Enforce Tac is the premier European procurement and partnership forum for the security and defence sector, bringing together credentialled decision-makers, budget holders, and ministry representatives who are actively shaping equipment and capability programmes. For SMEs and startups, a dedicated 'startups@Enforce Tac' area offers subsidised participation and direct access to prime contractors and institutional buyers at a single venue. The event's explosive growth—visitor numbers up 42% and exhibitor count up over 40% in 2026—reflects its rapidly rising strategic weight as Europe's central platform for networked security dialogue.
Global Force is the U.S. Army's primary spring forum for signaling near-term acquisition and modernization priorities, making it a critical venue for defence suppliers seeking early insight into program office requirements and contracting opportunities. Its location adjacent to Redstone Arsenal — home to Army Materiel Command, Army Futures Command elements, and a 36,000-person government-contractor workforce — provides unmatched proximity to programme decision-makers. For SMEs and startups, the Warriors Corner sessions and exposition floor offer direct engagement with procurement specialists and prime contractors actively scouting capability gaps.
With only ~300–350 vetted attendees, the event offers unusually direct access to the military end-users and procurement decision-makers who write C-UAS requirements and sign contracts across NATO and European allies — making it an efficient entry point for SMEs and startups seeking early programme engagement. The tightly controlled attendance (registrations subject to organiser approval) signals a senior, buying-intent audience rather than a broad trade-fair crowd. For suppliers, sponsorship or exhibition here delivers visibility at the moment when European C-UAS budgets and multi-nation frameworks are being actively shaped.
This is the highest-profile state-level showcase for China's C4ISR and military-AI industrial base, drawing procurement representatives from the PLA, CMC organs, all service branches, and the ten major defence-industrial groups — making it the primary venue for technology-to-procurement pipeline decisions in Chinese military intelligence. For dual-use SMEs and technology startups, the event provides direct access to military end-users and system integrators in a single concentrated forum unavailable elsewhere in the Chinese market. The expo's growing emphasis on AI, embodied intelligence, and low-altitude/counter-UAS systems signals near-term procurement priorities that suppliers can align products to.
Fleet/IMDS is Russia's flagship naval export showcase and the primary venue at which Rosoboronexport and Rostec-affiliated shipbuilders present export-configured warships, submarines, and unmanned maritime systems to delegations from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. For non-Western defence suppliers and dual-use technology firms, it is one of the few remaining major naval shows offering direct access to Russian Navy procurement officials and partner-nation delegations. Attendance or monitoring of the show provides insight into Russian naval export priorities, technology transfer offers, and the competitive landscape for maritime UAS and counter-drone systems.
If you sell into land systems or want face time with European procurement bodies and primes, this is the anchor event of the even-year calendar. Plan booth, delegation meetings and side events months ahead.
Drone Expo is the principal Russian-market gateway for UAS manufacturers, integrators and component suppliers seeking access to Russian government procurement and corporate buyers, with over 80% of visitors directly involved in procurement or partnership decisions. For SMEs and startups, the co-located Unmanned Aviation Forum and 'UAV' conference provide direct engagement with government bodies shaping Russia's fast-expanding regulatory and funding framework for unmanned systems. The event's explicit inclusion of counter-drone and detection technology sections signals growing dual-use and defence-adjacent demand that is reshaping the Russian UAS supply chain.
For defense SMEs and startups, this is one of the few European venues where hardware can be tested on a live runway in front of military operators and procurement officials in a single setting, compressing months of relationship-building into four days. Investors scouting pre-Series A European defense-tech companies will encounter the continent's most active builder community before most institutional channels do. The event directly feeds the EDTH-to-deployment pipeline that has already spun out companies from the hackathon circuit, making early presence here a meaningful competitive signal.
Demo days & pitch eventsEuropeRegional (500–2,000)Entry budgetStartupsSMEs+2
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MIKES tags every edition by capability, so this is the 2026 shortlist for counter-drone and C-UAS events: 21 tracked editions across 11 countries. Every entry carries dates, venue, organiser, who actually attends, expected scale, exhibitor cost band and the registration deadline. Anchor editions include MSPO – International Defence Industry Exhibition, Modern Warfare Conference 2026 and Carpathian Drone Summit 2026. Capability tags are editorial, not scraped from the organiser's marketing, so an event only appears here when Counter-Drone (C-UAS) is genuinely on the programme.
Frequently asked
How many defence counter-drone and C-UAS events are there in 2026?
MIKES tracks 21 defence counter-drone and C-UAS events in 2026 across 11 countries, including MSPO – International Defence Industry Exhibition, Modern Warfare Conference 2026 and Carpathian Drone Summit 2026.
Which counter-drone event is next?
MSPO – International Defence Industry Exhibition is next, opening 8 September 2026 in Kielce, Poland.
When do registrations close for defence counter-drone and C-UAS events?
Deadlines are tracked per edition: 3 of the 21 listed for 2026 still have an open registration deadline, the soonest being Carpathian Drone Summit 2026 on 31 August 2026.
How much do defence counter-drone and C-UAS events cost to attend?
Cost is recorded per edition rather than estimated. All 21 listed carry a published cost or exhibitor price band, from free entry to paid delegate and stand packages.
Missing a Counter-Drone (C-UAS) event we should track?
The catalog is curated, which means it is only as complete as the people using it. Paste the event URL and we do the rest: dates, venue, taxonomy and the decision note. Listed contributors are credited on the event page.
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