The Euro Defence Expo (EUDEX) is Germany's inaugural international defence trade fair, taking place 22-25 September 2026 at Messe Essen. Co-located with the established civilian security exhibition Security Essen, it integrates civil and military security technologies on a single site and positions itself as a new European platform for the exchange between politics, industry and armed forces. The inaugural edition already counts more than 80 confirmed exhibitors from twelve countries.
Euro Defence Expo (EUDEX) is Germany's first dedicated international trade fair for the defence industry, organised by Messe Essen GmbH. It takes place from 22 to 25 September 2026 at the Messe Essen fairground, occupying Halls 3, 4 and a section of the Galeria. The show runs in parallel with Security Essen, the established biennial trade fair for civilian security and critical infrastructure protection, creating a combined platform that links civil and military security technologies. As an inaugural event, no historical visitor figures exist; organiser-declared exhibitor participation stood at over 80 companies from twelve countries as of June 2026.
EUDEX is a wholly new concept. Its creation reflects the German government's accelerated investment in national defence following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the resulting Zeitenwende (turning point) in German security policy. Messe Essen and its commercial partner CPM GmbH -- a specialist defence publishing and events house -- identified a structural gap: while major European neighbours host established national defence exhibitions (France: Eurosatory; United Kingdom: DSEI; Spain: FEINDEF), Germany had no comparable biennial trade fair dedicated to the defence industry. The decision to co-locate EUDEX with the long-running Security Essen -- itself held every two years in odd years, with EUDEX occupying the intervening even year -- was designed to leverage existing visitor flows and infrastructure.
The inaugural edition opens on 22 September 2026. More than 80 exhibitors from twelve nations, including Belgium, Germany, India, the Netherlands, Poland, Ukraine and the United States, had confirmed participation by early June 2026. Early sponsors include Heckler and Koch (bronze), VINCORION Advanced Systems, BWConsulting, and National-Bank AG (silver). The EUDEX Conference by CPM, a strategic conference examining European deep-strike capability, runs concurrently and brings together military decision-makers, politicians and industry leaders. The NATO Joint Air Power Competence Centre (JAPCC) Annual Conference also takes place at Messe Essen at the same time, convening more than 400 senior military representatives from all 32 NATO member nations and creating direct linkage between the industrial exhibition and high-level military dialogue.
EUDEX occupies a distinct September slot with no direct competition from the major biennial European land-defence shows. Eurosatory (Paris, June) and DSEI (London, September, odd years) are its closest reference points in format. By scheduling in even years and co-locating with Security Essen, Messe Essen targets the segment of the European defence procurement and industrial community that circulates between Paris, London and Essen. The show's explicit focus on Germany's land-technology and cyber strengths differentiates it from maritime-focused Euronaval or the air-power bias of Farnborough.
The target visitor profile is professional and security-cleared by design. The exhibition reaches national and international delegations from armed forces, relevant ministries and procurement organisations; government representatives, senior politicians and high-ranking officials; representatives of police, security and law enforcement agencies; research and development institutions; and technology companies. General public access is not the primary intent. The co-location with Security Essen also draws civilian critical infrastructure specialists, creating cross-domain networking opportunities.
The main exhibition occupies Halls 3 and 4 plus a part of the Galeria for indoor displays, with an outdoor area available for live demonstrations and large equipment. The EUDEX Conference by CPM provides a dedicated strategic conference strand focussed on European defence capabilities, specifically European Deep Strike Capability in 2026. The NATO JAPCC Annual Conference runs alongside as a separate but integrated event. Security Essen fills the adjacent halls simultaneously, enabling joint badging and free passage between both shows.
Product and technology categories include: Protection and Effect; Personal Equipment and Gear; Research and Development; Logistics, Supply and Support; Leadership and Communication; Reconnaissance and Surveillance; Training, Education and Simulation; AI and Software; Unmanned Systems and Robotics; Vehicles and Large Equipment; NBC Defence; and Cyber Security.
| Exhibitors confirmed (as of June 2026) | 80+ |
| Countries represented (exhibitors) | 12+ |
| Visitor figures projected | not disclosed |
| JAPCC Annual Conference delegates | 400+ (senior military, 32 NATO nations) |
| Exhibition halls | 3 (Halls 3, 4, Galeria section) |
| Outdoor demonstration area | yes |
No. EUDEX is a professional trade fair. Access is restricted to industry representatives, government officials, military personnel, procurement authorities, researchers and journalists. Visitors must register in advance and meet eligibility criteria. Tickets are available through the online ticket shop at eurodefenceexpo.de.
The two shows run simultaneously at the same fairground under a single registration. EUDEX covers military and dual-use defence technologies; Security Essen covers civilian security and critical infrastructure. Visitors holding a ticket for either show can access both. The joint platform is described by the organiser as unique in Europe.
EUDEX is planned as a biennial event in even-numbered years, occupying the slot between Security Essen editions (which take place in odd years). The 2026 edition is the inaugural one; the next scheduled edition would be 2028, subject to organiser confirmation.
Messe Essen is located at Norbertstrasse 2, 45131 Essen, Germany. The fairground has 12 halls covering approximately 110,000 square metres of total exhibition space. By car, it is accessible from the A40 and A52 motorways. By rail, Essen Hauptbahnhof is approximately 3 km away, served by S-Bahn, U-Bahn and regional trains; the U18 tram line connects the city centre directly to the fairground. Dusseldorf Airport (DUS) is approximately 30 km away; Cologne/Bonn Airport (CGN) approximately 75 km. EUDEX specifically occupies Halls 3, 4 and a section of the Galeria building, plus an outdoor area for vehicle and live-demonstration displays.
Messe Essen GmbH is a publicly owned exhibition company belonging to the City of Essen (51.9%) and the State of North Rhine-Westphalia via NRW.URBAN (48.1%). It operates more than fifteen owned trade fairs and consumer events, the best known of which are Security Essen (civil security, biennial) and Schweissen and Schneiden (welding technology, quadrennial). Oliver P. Kuhrt serves as Geschaftsfuhrer (CEO). The EUDEX Conference component is managed in partnership with CPM GmbH, a Bonn-based defence publishing house and conference organiser (Tobias Ehlke, publisher). The NRW state defence cluster DefenceNRW acts as ideational partner.
EUDEX fills an obvious structural gap in the European defence exhibition calendar -- Germany has the continent's largest defence industrial base but, until 2026, no national trade fair to match it -- yet its success as an inaugural event will depend on whether procurement authorities commit to making Essen a fixture alongside Paris and London.
Visitor tickets for EUDEX are sold through the online ticket shop on the official website (eurodefenceexpo.de/tickets). Security Essen day tickets are priced at EUR 49 (organiser-declared figure for Security Essen 2026). Specific EUDEX ticket pricing was not publicly disclosed at time of verification (June 2026). Exhibitor registration is handled separately via the exhibitor application portal on the website. Journalists must apply for accreditation through the press section of the site. International delegations can request a tailored delegation programme via the Delegation Trips section.
No formal security clearance is stated as a requirement for standard visitors. Access is restricted to professionals, and registration includes identification of the visitor's organisation and role. Exhibitors of controlled goods must comply with applicable German and EU export-control regulations.
Non-EU nationals should consult the visa section of the official website (eurodefenceexpo.de/defence-industry/stay/visa/). Germany is part of the Schengen Area; citizens of many countries require a Schengen visitor visa. The organiser can provide invitation letters to support visa applications upon request.
Messe Essen operates several car parks on and adjacent to the fairground. Specific EUDEX parking information is published in the Arrival sections of the official website.
| Official website | https://www.eurodefenceexpo.de/ |
| https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/euro-defence-expo-eudex/ | |
| X | not disclosed |
| Register / Tickets | https://www.eurodefenceexpo.de/tickets/ |
| Exhibitor application | https://www.eurodefenceexpo.de/exhibitors/application/ |
| Programme | not disclosed (publication pending) |