A press conference was held yesterday in the hall of the Army Museum in Žižkov ahead of the upcoming 18th edition of the IDET trade fair, one of the most important events in Central Europe in the field of defense and security. It focuses on presenting the latest technologies. The event takes place every two years and serves as a platform for international cooperation and presentation of the Czech defense industry. The invitation to the fair was conveyed by Radka Konderlová, Director General of the Industrial Cooperation Section of the Ministry of Defense of the Czech Republic, Brigadier General Petr Šnajdárek, Director of the Communication and Information Systems Section of the Ministry of Defense of the Czech Republic, Jan Kubata, CEO of Veletrhy Brno, and Kristýna Helm, Vice President of the Defence and Security Industry Association of the Czech Republic (AOBP).

From May 28 to 30, the latest technologies and trends in the defense industry will be presented to professionals from around the world at the Brno Exhibition Center (BVV). The IDET trade fair, together with the PYROS and ISET trade fairs, which focus on the presentation of firefighting, police and security technology and services, will be attended by approximately 650 exhibitors from 34 countries this year.

The main motto of this year's IDET fair is "Strength in Unity," and the Czech Ministry of Defense and the Czech Army will again be among the key exhibitors. The exhibition will offer an overview of the current state and future direction of the Czech Army, which is undergoing a major modernization. According to General Šnajdárek, national defense is no longer just a matter for the army and requires the involvement of the whole society. Experience from crisis situations, such as last year's floods, clearly show the key role of resilient and reliable communications, according to Šnajdárek.

Visitors can look forward to a presentation of military equipment used by the Czech Armed Forces, including TITUS armored vehicles, Leopard 2A4 tanks, and advanced systems such as the STARKOM jammer and the DPET passive surveillance system. A unique feature of this year's exhibition will be the premiere of equipment that our army is adding to its arsenal. In addition to the presentation of military systems, the exhibition will also demonstrate the activities of the Central Military Hospital, the Military Health Insurance Company, and the Military Solidarity Fund. Four state-owned companies from the defense sector will also be represented, namely LOM PRAHA, the Military Technical Institute, the Military Research Institute, and VOP CZ.

Space will also be devoted to projects of the University of Defense in the field of research and development, particularly in the segment of unmanned and autonomous vehicles. General Šnajdárek told CZ DEFENCE that this year's fair will differ from 2023 in terms of scope and presentation of new technologies and their interconnection. "There will be a strong emphasis on command and control systems. It is essential that we are connected with other state authorities. We want to discuss certain issues from the perspective of the defense industry as a whole, such as how to approach breakthrough technologies. We will also present some of our plans in the field of quantum technologies," said Šnajdárek. The cooperation between the Ministry of Defense and the Czech Armed Forces with the Czech Technical University and other institutions will also be presented. "You are certainly aware of the memoranda and other activities we have recently signed. One of the opportunities is to showcase our approach to robotic and autonomous systems. And universities play an irreplaceable role here – not only the University of Defense, but also the Technical University in Liberec, the University of Agriculture, and others," said the general, who also commented on the presentation of the CV90 MkIV tracked IFV in a similar configuration to that which will be used by the Czech Armed Forces. "I believe we will make it. It is one of the exhibits we want to have at the fair. Of course, there will also be other aviation technologies, command and control systems, modifications to the Leopard 2A4 tanks, and electromagnetic warfare systems," revealed General Šnajdárek.

One of the main attractions of this year's IDET trade fair will be the world premiere of the Pandur 8x8 EVO wheeled armored personnel carrier from Tatra Defense Vehicle. It will be on display at the stand of the Czechoslovak Group (CSG), which has become the general partner of the fair this year. The third generation of CZ BREN rifles from Česká zbrojovka will also make its Czech debut at the fair. LPP will present a new product that changes the status quo in the field of unmanned aerial navigation, and the new HORNET unmanned vehicle with fully autonomous navigation will also be on display. EVPÚ Defence will present new products from the GLADIUS product line. The European company MBDA will present the new Enforcer-X shoulder-launched guided missile. The GLOMEX Military Supplies stand will also feature an evolutionary modification of the Toyota Hilux called Chamois. The Czech technology group TRL Space will present a unique solution for border monitoring and protection. MESIT will publicly unveil its new M20 headset for military and tactical use. Among foreign companies, the German company Rheinmetall will be present with an exhibition covering an area of 380 m². Other companies presenting their products and services include Elbit Systems, Honeywell, IAI (Israel Aerospace Industries), KNDS, Lockheed Martin, and Patria. The extensive INDIA PAVILION exhibition and presentations by Hungary, Austria, and Slovakia will also be of interest.

The IDET trade fair is an ideal place for developing industrial cooperation between Czech companies and foreign partners. Radka Konderlová, Director General of the Industrial Cooperation Section of the Ministry of Defense, told CZ DEFENCE: "IDET and the participation of the Ministry of Defense and the Czech Army at this trade fair are absolutely crucial. It is the most important trade fair in the Czech Republic. We have to be a little patriotic. This year, the organizers from BVV have managed to bring together a huge amount of military equipment. There will also be a number of conferences and panel discussions on key topics, such as modern technologies that until recently we did not even think would become part of military capabilities, but today are essential for the army to gain a strategic advantage over its opponents." Konderlová also confirmed the participation of all state-owned enterprises that are now an integral and important part of the defense industry in the Czech Republic and are involved in industrial cooperation programs and strategic acquisition projects. "I would like to mention that this year, for the first time, other entities under the Ministry of Defense will also be exhibiting at IDET, such as military hospitals and other institutions," added Konderlová. IDET is also the venue for the signing of key memoranda of understanding between global companies and the Czech defense industry. At last year's event, for example, memoranda were signed with Lockheed Martin and the acquisition of new tracked IFVs for the Czech Armed Forces was announced. We were interested to know whether any significant signings are planned for this year. "Let yourself be surprised, but I think we will make further progress in the area of the F-35 and cooperation with Lockheed Martin," Konderlová hinted.

The IDET 2025 trade fair will also cover topics such as space defense, the startup community, and 3D technology. There will be a separate exhibition called "Space Defense and Start-Up," focused on space defense and startup innovation. Another major topic at the fair will be the development of additive manufacturing, i.e., 3D printing, which brings completely new design possibilities to industry. This year, the topic of 3D technology will show how the defense industry is effectively utilizing these innovations. In this context, the first edition of the 3D-ARMY professional meeting will take place on May 29, focusing on the use of 3D printing for the development and production of weapons, drones, and military equipment.

The professional guarantor of the fair is AOBP. Vice President Kristýna Helm told CZ DEFENCE that some of the start-up companies that presented new technologies at last year's fair already have their first customers. "Within the North Atlantic Alliance, there is now a big trend to support start-ups – they can bring innovation faster and often cheaper than large corporations," Helm told our editorial team. AOBP will have a joint stand with the Slovak association at the fair. "We cooperate most with the Slovak association among European associations because we have many interconnected industrial interests. Many Czech companies have parent companies in Slovakia, so we meet and cooperate frequently. There will also be a joint meeting of the presiding committees at the fair," added Kristýna Helm. When asked whether she perceives a shift in the banking sector's approach to defense industry companies, the AOBP vice president replied: "The situation is more favorable. A number of banks have revised their policies. EGAP has adjusted its terms and conditions. The Czech Export Bank has long offered products that are very helpful. However, the European Investment Bank still has a policy which, although it is changing, does not yet allow investment in purely defense projects such as explosives, weapons, and ammunition, i.e., products with a single user: the armed forces. In addition, there are still banks in the Czech Republic that refuse to finance the defense industry due to the nature of its production. This remains a problem for us, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises, whose projects are not as attractive to banks as those of large players," concluded Kristýna Helm, Vice President of AOBP, for CZ DEFENCE.