MSPO 2026

15/09/2026 Paolo Valpolini

The 34th International Defence Industry Exhibition (MSPO) opened in Kielce, Poland, from 8 to 11 September 2026, underlining the country’s growing centrality to European defence procurement, industrial cooperation and NATO security. Held at the Targi Kielce exhibition and congress centre, the event brought together government representatives, military leaders and industrial partners at a time when Poland is accelerating the modernisation of its armed forces and seeking to deepen defence-industrial ties with Allied nations.

This year’s edition was presented as the largest in the exhibition’s history. More than 1,200 exhibitors took part, alongside over 40,000 visitors and more than 60 official delegations (according to the organizer), confirming MSPO’s status as one of the leading defence gatherings in Central and Eastern Europe. The scale of attendance reflected both the sustained demand for land, air, maritime, C4ISR, air-defence, electronic-warfare and uncrewed-system capabilities, and the strategic importance of the Polish market for international defence suppliers.

Canada took centre stage as MSPO 2026’s Lead Nation, becoming the first non-European country to assume this role at the Kielce exhibition. Its participation represented the largest Canadian defence and security business mission ever deployed worldwide, with more than 200 organisations and nearly 500 delegates drawn from industry and all levels of government. The Canadian programme included a dedicated national pavilion which was formally inaugurated by the Canadian Minister of International Trade Maninder Sidhu and the Minister of National Defence David J. McGuinty, together with Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister and, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz.

Canada’s prominent presence illustrated Ottawa’s ambition to position its defence sector as a long-term industrial and technological partner for Poland, Ukraine and European NATO allies. With Canadian companies presenting capabilities ranging from aerospace and land systems to cyber security, radar, optoelectronics and advanced battlefield technologies, MSPO provided a high-profile platform for new commercial partnerships and bilateral cooperation. In an increasingly contested security environment, the Kielce exhibition once again demonstrated that defence exhibitions are no longer simply product showcases: they have become key venues for shaping allied industrial capacity, capability development and strategic resilience.

Hereafter EDR On-Line readers will find the articles on relevant equipment seen at the Kielce exhibition.