Eudex 2026: new platform for entering the defence industry Industrial Expertise Seeks a Foothold in Defence

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Polytec GmbH

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At the inaugural Euro Defence Expo in Essen, the focus was less on military technology and more on industrial solutions for the defence sector. The trade fair highlighted the breadth of the industrial base serving this market and offered suppliers a route into a demanding field of business. However, how sustainable that route will prove remains to be seen.

Anyone expecting to see only military equipment at the first Euro Defence Expo would have been missing the point. Held in Essen from 22 to 25 September, Eudex provided a platform for numerous exhibitors from the fields of mechanical engineering, measurement technology, manufacturing equipment, enterprise software and connectivity. This brought to the fore a question that is crucial to the expansion of the defence industry: how can existing industrial expertise be applied to military uses and integrated into their supply chains? The fair aimed to bring together companies, armed forces, procurement organisations and research institutions.

Conversations and impressions gathered at the event suggest that, for at least some exhibitors, it served as a way of testing the waters in the defence market. Compared with defence trade fairs such as Enforce Tac, Eudex placed less emphasis on showcasing military equipment and weapon systems and more on industrial technologies and solutions for the defence sector. It also appeared to offer a platform for companies looking to bring their expertise to this market.

Whether this leads to lasting business relationships, however, depends on more than the technical offering alone. In the defence sector in particular, reaching the right users, systems integrators and procurement decision-makers is crucial. The quality of these contacts will be one of the key measures by which the new trade fair is judged.

From testing to production

Polytec is entering the defence market, among other ways, as a distributor for specialised manufacturers. The electro-optical test systems presented at Eudex are not in-house developments, as they are in the industrial sector, but solutions from long-standing partner CI Systems.

The portfolio includes test stations for cameras, laser rangefinders and optical sights, as well as simulators for testing missile warning systems. Blackbody sources provide defined radiation references for calibrating thermal imaging cameras; collimators and multisensor test systems support the testing of different optical channels.

One example is CI Systems’ compact, portable ILET systems, which can be used to test and characterise thermal imaging cameras and sensors operating in the visible spectrum. Polytec complements this distribution portfolio with application advice and service for optical metrology.

Virtually testing robustness

Cadfem addresses the development of industrial capabilities for the defence sector from the design perspective. Physics-based simulation makes it possible to examine stresses and the behaviour of complex systems before building costly prototypes.

A drop-test simulation of a thermal imaging camera made by Dräger shows how this can improve robustness. Using Ansys LS-DYNA, Cadfem modelled the camera being dropped from a height of two metres in five different impact orientations. The simulations revealed the areas of the casing under the greatest stress and enabled different design options to be compared.

The example comes from firefighting technology, but it illustrates a challenge also relevant to defence applications: identifying mechanical weaknesses early and adapting designs to their operating conditions. Cadfem sees simulation and digital engineering as an important means of accelerating the development of defence technologies under time pressure. Virtual testing can shorten development cycles and reduce the need for physical trials. It does not, however, replace practical testing and validation — particularly where reliability under changing operational conditions is essential.

Managing programmes across the lifecycle

When development results need to be translated into higher production volumes, the focus shifts to processes and capacity. However, Proalpha’s Aerospace & Defence industry solution addresses not only production ramp-up, but also the management of military programmes throughout the product lifecycle.

The software connects programme and contract management with engineering, manufacturing, quality assurance and maintenance. Defence-specific requirements are addressed through support for AQAP quality standards, export-control processes under ITAR, EAR and German BAFA regulations, and controlled access to sensitive technical data.

Configuration and change management make it possible to implement technical changes in a targeted way according to serial number, production batch or operational status. A digital product record brings together manufacturing documentation, inspections, certificates and approvals. Spare-parts management, repair and modernisation processes extend this data chain into the operational phase.

The solution targets a central challenge in the defence sector: not only manufacturing systems, but also maintaining traceability of their technical configurations and supply throughout decades of service.

Components, not major platforms

The fact that defence capability often depends on inconspicuous components is illustrated by Otto Ganter. The standard-parts specialist serves the defence market with industrial components that designers can select for specific applications. Indexing plungers, hinges, clamping levers and latches perform positioning, fastening and access functions.

One example is the locking mechanism for a retractable equipment carrier holding communications or electronic equipment in a military vehicle or shelter. Locking pins can secure the carrier in defined positions and release it for maintenance. The GN 816 range includes, among other features, key operation to deter unauthorised adjustment, as well as a visual indicator showing when the locating pin is retracted. A guide track prevents the pin from being inadvertently reset.

Flexible manufacturing for protected vehicles

Siegmund is a world leader in precision welding tables and offers modular welding and clamping systems for mechanical engineering, plant construction and vehicle manufacturing. At its Eudex stand, an armoured vehicle from customer ACS Armoured Car Systems demonstrated the company’s relevance to the defence industry. ACS develops and manufactures protected vehicles for operational use, with welding and assembly among its key value-adding processes.

Siegmund’s table systems provide a basis for accurately positioning and repeatably clamping components for these manufacturing tasks. A modular range of system holes, angles, stops, clamping bolts and clamps can be adapted to different geometries. Systems 16, 22 and 28 accommodate different component sizes and loads, while linked tables and extension elements can provide larger clamping surfaces.

For defence suppliers, the benefit lies in flexible fixturing that supports both changing assemblies and repeatable production tasks.

Compact interfaces for mobile platforms

Harting provides connectivity solutions for security and defence systems. Whether for unmanned aerial vehicles, mobile ground platforms, or communications and sensor technology, connectors link power supplies, control systems and payloads, shaping the overall system architecture.

One example is the Han MPC, which combines high current-carrying capacity with low weight and a compact footprint. The series addresses typical SWaP requirements for unmanned platforms, where size, weight and power consumption must be carefully balanced. The MPC30 and MPC60 variants carry up to 30 and 60 amperes respectively at 120 volts DC. Up to four additional contacts enable data transmission via DroneCAN, for example between a control system and peripheral equipment. Proven crimp contacts from Harting’s industrial portfolio provide the basis for the electrical connection.

For developers, the installation environment remains a key consideration: the series is designed to withstand shock and vibration in accordance with IEC 61373, Category 1B. Its IP40 rating, however, makes it suitable for internal wiring rather than exposed external interfaces.

Integrating protection technology into platforms

At Dräger, the focus is on protecting people in vehicles and shelters. Its defence offering combines gas detection and respiratory protection with systems that can be integrated into platforms.

The Breathguard 2500 continuously monitors carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide concentrations, warning crews when the air in enclosed spaces reaches critical levels. The ColPro SBL 100 collective protection system, by contrast, supplies filtered air and maintains positive pressure to prevent hazardous substances from entering vehicles or shelters in CBRN environments.

The Multisensor Box 8500 complements these protective functions by monitoring hazardous gases and vapours. It can accommodate up to 16 sensors; integrated forced ventilation makes measurements independent of the ambient airflow. The unit can operate independently with a control terminal or as part of a larger detection system.

The three subsystems can be used individually or as a coordinated protection package, tailored to the platform, operational profile and interfaces. For vehicle and systems manufacturers, protection technology is therefore an integration task that brings together air monitoring, warnings and collective protection.

The quality of contacts is the measure of success

Alongside Eudex, Security Essen — a trade fair for civilian security technology — was taking place. Messe Essen reported a combined total of 30,000 trade visitors for the two events. For comparison, Security Essen alone attracted more than 20,000 visitors in 2024. No separate attendance figure for Eudex has been published so far. All the exhibitors interviewed agreed that the first day of the fair had been very quiet. It remains unclear to what extent the JAPCC conference, held at the same time, enabled exhibitors to connect with military decision-makers, or whether its strict access requirements deterred potential visitors.

For exhibitors, however, success at a trade fair depends less on visitor numbers than on the quality of the contacts made. This also sets a challenge for the next Eudex in 2028: it will need to sharpen its profile in relation to other defence trade fairs and reach the right users and procurement decision-makers more effectively. <his>