Minister Hajdinjak Opens the SIDEC 2026 International Defense Fair and Conference in Celje

Following the ceremony, he also opened the Slovenian national pavilion.

In his address, the minister emphasized that unmanned systems, artificial intelligence, and advanced data processing are already transforming the operations of the armed forces. He sees opportunities for Slovenian companies and researchers in these areas. He advocated for the Ministry, in collaboration with the Slovenian Armed Forces, to prepare an overview of defense needs and development priorities for the coming decade and present it to the business community. He emphasized the importance of early collaboration with companies so that the Slovenian Armed Forces could test their solutions and, if they meet its needs, also implement them.

Boštjan Skalar, Director of the Slovenian Defense Industry Cluster, highlighted the evolution of Slovenian companies from component suppliers to co-creators of defense capabilities, emphasizing: “Our goal is clear: greater self-sufficiency, greater technological independence, and stronger strategic partnerships in Europe and the Euro-Atlantic region.”

Uroš Korošec, Acting Director General of the Directorate for Logistics, highlighted the growth in investment in research, development, and innovation, as well as efforts to facilitate companies’ access to financing. “Together with SID Bank, we are seeking solutions to help Slovenian companies through loans,” he emphasized.

Chief of the General Staff of the Slovenian Armed Forces, Major General Boštjan Močnik, emphasized in his address that the modernization of the Slovenian Armed Forces involves the transformation of capabilities and the introduction of new technologies, adding: “SIDEC 2026 represents an important bridge between military operational experience and industrial innovation.”

At the opening of the Slovenian pavilion, Minister Hajdinjak noted that the joint exhibition enables Slovenian companies to showcase domestic technologies and engage in direct discussions with foreign partners. The Ministry of Defense is also presenting the results of research, development, and innovation projects it supports in the pavilion.

In a statement to the Slovenian media, the minister said that compared to the first edition of the fair, this year’s event appears to be even better—both in terms of exhibition space and the number of exhibitors. “I am pleased that this is an opportunity and a space where ideas and potential partners come together. Slovenia has many opportunities, ideas, and practical experience in the field of development. I hope that together we can also develop defense products that would be tested and ultimately used by the Slovenian Armed Forces. As I have emphasized many times before: why should we buy defense or military equipment elsewhere if we can develop, manufacture, and purchase some of it domestically? I am confident that this year’s fair will be a success in terms of presentations, agreements, and the conclusion of new business deals, and that we will leave with a positive experience. “In two years, that is, in 2028, we’ll meet again on an even larger scale,” the minister added in a statement to media representatives.

More than 200 exhibitors from 24 countries are participating in this year’s fair. The main panel on the first day focused on the defense industry’s adaptation based on operational and battlefield experiences from the war in Ukraine. The keynote speaker at the panel, State Secretary at the Ministry of Defense Dr. Erik Kopač, emphasized that experiences with unmanned systems and electronic warfare demonstrate how important it is to shorten the time from identifying a need to implementing a solution, adding: “The real advantage lies in the ability to adapt more quickly than the adversary.”

State Secretary Kopač advocated for closer cooperation between the military and developers and manufacturers, as well as more flexible testing and procurement procedures that allow for ongoing upgrades. He noted that Slovenian companies are already establishing contacts with Ukrainian companies and representatives of the armed forces in order to better tailor their products to operational needs. He sees an opportunity for Slovenian industry in the integration of specialized suppliers into European defense supply chains.

In his remarks, André Denk, Director of the European Defense Agency, emphasized the need to strengthen European defense cooperation, greater autonomy, and readiness by 2030, emphasizing the importance of establishing a Joint Defense Procurement Center to facilitate the procurement of equipment and the need for faster transfer of innovations into operational capabilities through initiatives such as BraveTech EU and the new Agile program, which offer financial support to startups, scale-ups, and SMEs, as well as streamlined procedures for advanced projects such as anti-drone systems, electronic warfare, and space. In this context, he called on Europe to take greater responsibility for its own security and to actively utilize European tools and financial instruments, emphasizing in particular that the contribution of the Slovenian defense industry to this process is extremely welcome and essential. He also called on Slovenian companies to submit bids for international tenders issued by the European defense industry.

Bilateral meetings also took place on the first day of the fair. State Secretary Kopač met with Álvaro Castelo Branco, Deputy Minister of Defense of the Portuguese Republic, in the morning, while Minister Hajdinjak met with Alpaslan Kavaklioğlu, Deputy Minister of Defense of the Republic of Turkey. Following a meeting with Andrej Denko, Director of the European Defense Agency, Minister Hajdinjak signed a Program Agreement on training, instruction, and exercises with unmanned aerial vehicle (UAS) systems (TREX). Slovenia thus became the first signatory to the program agreement.

On Wednesday, November 11, Minister Hajdinjak will address high school students at the “In the Service of the Homeland” event and view a presentation of equipment and a dynamic demonstration by the Slovenian Armed Forces. The fair’s professional program will focus on practical experiences from Ukraine with unmanned aerial systems and training, sensor technology, and digital twins in equipping the soldier of the future, as well as energy resilience. The signing of memorandums is also planned.

On Thursday, November 12, a panel discussion will focus on the use of dual-use space technologies and capacity building within the framework of the European Space Agency. The fair will be open to the general public from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., with no accreditation required. The ceremonial conclusion of the official program is scheduled for 3:00 p.m., and the fair will close at 5:00 p.m.

Strojni prevod: deepl.com