Armaments production in focus at Hannover Messe 2026

Defence Production Park Hannover Messe focuses on armaments for the first time

2026-02-28 Source: dpa 2 min Reading Time

A new theme area at the Hannover Messe from April 20 to 24 will be dedicated to the rapid development of the production of armaments, Deutsche Messe reports, but this is just the beginning.

The Hanover Trade Fair now has a new Defence Production theme in Hall 26, which shows how armaments production works properly. The Wiesel 2 small tank, for example, will be celebrating its premiere. So far, 40 exhibitors are expected to ...(Image: German Armed Forces) — The Hanover Trade Fair now has a new Defence Production theme in Hall 26, which shows how armaments production works properly. The Wiesel 2 small tank, for example, will be celebrating its premiere. So far, 40 exhibitors are expected to ...
(Image: German Armed Forces)

At what is said to be the world's largest industrial trade fair, the Hannover Messe, there will now also be a demonstration of how to step up a gear when it comes to the production of military equipment. A special exhibition area will be designated for this purpose in Hall 26 - the so-called Defence Production Park. No fewer than around 40 companies will be exhibiting and presenting their products and services for defence production technology on 1,200 square meters, as the organiser emphasises. Prominent guests are expected to include Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger and German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius. Papperger will also be speaking about the importance of industrial performance in the area of tension between the cornerstones of security, geopolitics and technological independence, it is reported. The new defence area will also serve as a foretaste of the upcoming security and defence trade fair Defence & Security Equipment International Germany, which will open its doors for the first time in March 2027.

But Deutsche Messe has fewer exhibitors than in 2025

The main theme of Hannover Messe 2026 will once again be the use of artificial intelligence in production and automation along with robotics. Around 3,500 exhibitors from the mechanical engineering, electrical and digital industries as well as the energy sector are expected. However, Deutsche Messe admits that this is unfortunately around 500 fewer than a year ago. Numerous well-known players such as Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, SAP and, last but not least, Siemens will also be represented. There are also medium-sized companies and over 200 start-ups.

It remains to be seen whether the new and old themes will enable the number of visitors to top last year's figure of around 127,000. The well-known trade fair is always opened by the current Federal Chancellor. But the President of the partner country Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, will also be there.

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