Defence Innovation Portugal to host EDA’s 2026 Operational Experimentation Campaign OPEX

Portugal is set to host the European Defence Agency’s (EDA) flagship operational experimentation campaign, OPEX, in 2026. The campaign will concentrate on a range of technological domains, including autonomous systems, logistics support and loitering munitions. 

OPEX 2026 aims to speed up the integration of defence innovations into field operations. It will take place in October at the Santa Margarida Military Training Area, which is expected to become a national regulatory sandbox—a controlled setting in which emerging technologies can be tested under realistic conditions.

This edition will connect the international scope of the OPEX campaign with the Portuguese Army’s national experimentation initiative, ARTEX26. By relaxing peacetime regulations and offering an environment for system validation, this approach will further accelerate the development of emerging technologies.

Portugal’s defence innovation-oriented regulatory framework, together with its methods for experimental testing and the safe integration of new technologies, stands out as a best practice that could serve as inspiration for similar initiatives across Europe.

Integrating the OPEX 2026 campaign into ARTEX26 creates an opportunity to establish a coherent, realistic and operational testing environment. The Campo Militar de Santa Margarida will offer excellent conditions for experimentation, supported by strict safety measures and effective coordination.

Europe’s security landscape is changing rapidly

As defence budgets rise and EU programmes expand, civil technology providers are becoming vital contributors to Europe’s strategic autonomy. The event will act as a neutral platform for dialogue between technology suppliers, integrators, and decision-makers shaping the next generation of European defence capabilities and aims to open doors between civil industry and defence procurement, providing practical insights.

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Cross-domain testing and experimentation

Within this supportive framework, OPEX 2026 will allow participants to carry out cross-domain testing across several areas:

• Autonomous aerial and ground systems
• Logistics support (resupply, casualty evacuation)
• Reconnaissance and surveillance
• Testing of loitering munitions
• Multi-platform cross-domain field testing in realistic operational environments

Additionally, EDA will provide support in emerging and disruptive technologies, including in areas such as adversarial counter-drone testing.

OPEX is designed to accelerate defence innovation by putting next-generation technologies that are already at an advanced stage of development into challenging, real-world operational conditions. This approach helps bring promising new capabilities into active use faster to shape the future of EU defence.

The inaugural edition of EDA’s operational experimentation campaign took place in summer 2025 in Italy. Details and results are available in this executive briefing (pdf). In 2026, the campaign shifts from a proof-of-concept phase towards establishing a broader, multinational experimentation network. Its goal will be to accelerate the transition of promising technologies from demonstration to rapid adoption across Europe’s armed forces.

OPEX is an important part of EDA’s Hub for Defence Innovation (HEDI). In 2026, the Hub will focus on strengthening national initiatives while aligning them with EU-level tools and processes.

Industry, innovators and other relevant organisations will be able to signal their interest in participating in OPEX in early 2026.