IDET
24.-26.5. 2023

During its three days, the traditional complex of defence and security technology fairs introduced novelties by 450 exhibiting companies from 22 countries. The interest in participation corresponded with the current complicated security situation, increase in risks and expected higher investment in defence technology. The 13th International Exhibition of Defence and Security Technology presented 331 companies, a tenth more than two years ago. In three days, its rich offer brought more than twenty-six thousand people interested in advanced defence, security and fire technology to the Exhibition  Centre. Visitors came from three dozen countries, more than a thousand among them were from abroad. The Press Centre accredited 162 journalists from eight countries.

The trade fairs welcomed a number of VIP guests headed by the defence ministers of the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Macedonia. Eleven official military delegations visited the fair on the invitation of Defence Minister, from Turkey, Georgia, South Africa or Ghana among others, and delegations of 30 military and air attachés. The official delegations of Slovakia and Hungary also visited the PYROS International Fair for Fire Technology and Services.

Great attention was paid to the current issues of cyber security; besides the Security Trends international conference, there was also a professional training seminar for executives and live demonstrations and presentations of capabilities in cyber security. An important event of the supporting programme, the traditional CATE international conference (Community-Army-Technology-Environment) was formed by individual conferences on Military Technologies 2015, Distance Learning, Simulation and Communication 2015, Security and Protection of Classified Information, and Logistics in the Armed Forces. They were attended by close to a thousand specialists from the Czech Republic and abroad. For the first time, IDET also included an expert round table debate of the EDA European Defence Agency titled "Towards Balanced Defence Industry in Europe."

The best exhibits of the fair were awarded five Golden IDET awards and three IDET NEWS 2015 awards.

Quotes about the fairs:

Martin Stropnický, Defence Minister of the CR:
IDET belongs to the main events of its kind in Central Europe, precisely because it is an ideal venue for meetings with foreign partners on home soil. And it is nice to see that exhibitors intercepted modern trends in warfare in the areas of cyber security, robotics and unmanned aerial vehicles or dual technologies. The Czech army, can not meet all its capability requirements from domestic sources of course. But if the domestic industry has come up with an attractive solution for our needs, it will be for us a preferred supplier. That is what I want to be convinced about here at IDET.

Jiří Baloun, First Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Army of the Czech Republic:
IDET is the perfect opportunity for us to adequately present to the professional and general public what the Army deals with, what abilities it achieved and what it wants to achieve, including presentations of technology, defence systems or systems for command and training. However, IDET is not just about the capabilities of the Czech Armed Forces. It comprises in any case a space for the formation of further cooperation of ACR with the Association of Security and Defence Industry and it introduces trends and innovations in this field.

Jiří Hynek, President of the Association of Defence and Security Industry:
Our defence and security technology industry is adorned with longstanding tradition, top professionals and their inventiveness. Unfortunately, our market is too small compared with the size of our industry and thus we can not do without exports. The IDET fair of Defence and Security Technology plays an irreplaceable role in its promotion, and AOBP provided maximum help and support during its preparation. IDET enables Czech companies to showcase the best of their production on our territory, both on their stands, as well as through direct reference to the exhibition of the Czech Army and the Defence Ministry. This international comparison shows that due to the high technological level of presented products, the Czech defence and security industry is able to contribute to the elimination of the increasing security risks in the world.

Jiří Kuliš, CEO of the Brno Exhibition Centre:
This year's security fairs are held at a time when the world is facing a variety of security challenges and risks. We realize all the more that our security is not commonplace, and also that the investment in security is needed. IDET is a service for the Czech and Slovak defence industry, creating an export promotion platform and it is also a transparent place for personal meetings among representatives of industry, military, ministries and state security forces.

Rini Goos, Deputy Director of the European Defence Agency (EDA):
It is my first timme at IDET and I really like it here. I think it is a very important trade fair. In Europe, we have large defence industry fairs in France and Great Britain, which are large countries and it is good that such a trade fair is also held in Central Europe. This year is already the thirteenth year - which I'm very pleased by because thirteen is my lucky number - and one can see here that IDET is important not only for the defence industry of Central and Eastern Europe, but is also tied to Western Europe. Many western firms and also companies from the U.S. are exhibiting here, but it especially shows the strength of the Czech defence industry. The competitiveness of Czech producers is proven by the high proportion of their exports, and it is a good reason to organize IDET here in the Czech Republic.

Tomáš Tuhý, police president:
We probably all can feel the situation of today's world. The issue of the fight against terrorism, the fight against cyber crime, illegal migration - these are the topics that we read about every day. Due to long-term, unsystematic savings, the Police of the Czech Republic reached the stage where we were forced to take serious measures for modernization and increasing numbers of staff. Such opportunities as the trade fair that opens today, develop options to discuss current security issues. I am glad that the Czech Police also presents a number of innovations here, like in the previous years.

Drahoslav Ryba, Managing Director of the Fire and Rescue Corps of the CR:
IDET, PYROS and ISET fairs belong to the important fairs of its kind in Europe, as evidenced by the hundreds of exhibitors from more than twenty countries. I believe that trade fairs play an irreplaceable role even in these modern times. Not all the novelties can be presented only on paper or a computer screen, and the best deals are still being negotiated by a handshake.

Paul Rausnitz, company owner, Meopta:
IDET is an important fair for us and it will be even more important because there are new developing areas such as night vision optics, for which we are establishing a special department today. This year we present three flagship projects here that are primarily intended for our army, but with we are also heading abroad with them. In the defence industry, the cooperation with the state is very important for us as a Czech manufacturer, because the supply of a product for the Czech army is absolutely crucial for its success on foreign markets.