In early September, Kielce, Poland, once again became the center of European security. This year, the 34th annual MSPO International Defense Industry Fair attracted a record number of more than 1,200 exhibitors from 43 countries. Canada was the main partner country this time.

Video: MSPO 2026: Drones, AI, and Czech technology are transforming the modern battlefield / CZ DEFENCE

The main themes of this year’s event were autonomous systems – particularly unmanned aerial vehicles – artificial intelligence, and the associated architecture for secure data processing.

Czech exhibitors were not to be outdone. In addition to the industrial-technology conglomerate Czechoslovak Group and the Pardubice-based company ERA, PBS GROUP, LPP, and STV GROUP also exhibited in Kielce this year.
The response to the changing nature of the modern battlefield is the massive development of large-caliber ammunition and, more recently, the development of special 30-millimeter anti-drone missiles, which complement the CSG Group’s key portfolio.

Another example of rapid adaptation to battlefield needs is this year’s new product from Excalibur Army. The newly unveiled Patriot 4×4 tactical armored vehicle combines high mobility with an integrated, fully automated Alakran mortar system – a solution capable of immediate response in both 81- and 120-millimeter calibers.

A major technological leap for the CSG Group is its entry into the jet engine segment for light unmanned aerial vehicles, guided missiles, and training targets. This miniature yet powerful engine was developed by AviaNera Technologies. Heavy ground equipment was showcased by Tatra Export from Kopřivnice, which brought the third-generation Tatra Force eight-wheeled chassis to Kielce.

PBS GROUP builds on a 200-year tradition of engineering in Brno and is now recognized globally as a leader in the field of small jet, turboprop, and shaft-driven engines, as well as auxiliary power units.

Innovations from the Czech Republic are having a global impact. The technology company LPP Holding won the prestigious NATO Innovation Challenge. Competing against more than sixty teams from across the Alliance, it succeeded with a concept that organically integrates advanced artificial intelligence, autonomous drones, and a new Czech flat-trajectory missile.

The Pardubice-based company ERA builds on a tradition of passive radar development spanning more than sixty years – a tradition that began with the Ramona and Tamara systems. At MSPO, it presented the VERA-NG system, which remains the world’s only system of its kind in the field of passive tracking without transmitting its own signals.

STV GROUP also returned to the Polish trade show after several years. In addition to its traditional large-caliber ammunition, the company brought a comprehensive concept for scalable ammunition designed specifically for FPV drones, which it develops and supplies itself.

In addition to a prominent display by the Polish Army, visitors could also see various types of tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, and HIMARS rocket launchers. The emphasis on drone defense was unmistakable – ranging from lattice armor and anti-drone nets to advanced active protection systems.

MSPO in Kielce demonstrated that the line between heavy equipment and autonomous digital systems is gradually blurring. And the Czech defense industry is not standing on the sidelines of this transformation – it is helping to shape its direction.