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On 10 September, Targi Kielce became a hub for wide-ranging discussions on how to build Poland’s and Europe’s defence capabilities – not only through the procurement of equipment, but also by developing industry, technology, expertise and international partnerships.

The third day of the 34th International Defence Industry Exhibition placed a particularly strong focus on the event’s conference and expert programme. From the morning onwards, dozens of debates, seminars, consultation meetings and industry discussions were held simultaneously across the exhibition halls and the Congress Centre.

The discussions focused both on the most pressing challenges arising from the experience of the war in Ukraine and on long-term issues related to developing domestic industrial capabilities, financing the defence sector, and preparing the state and society to respond to crisis situations.

Ammunition – Key to Security

One of the day’s major events was the Defence24.pl debate “Ammunition for Wartime. How Can Poland Build Domestic Production Capabilities?”

Military representatives, officials from the National Security Bureau and industry representatives discussed how to rapidly increase ammunition production, how large the stockpiles of the Polish Armed Forces should be, and how to reduce dependence on external supplies.

Experts stressed that the experience of the war in Ukraine clearly demonstrates that modern weapon systems are not enough without adequate production capacity, stocks of munitions and secure supply chains.

Major General Adam Rzeczkowski of the National Security Bureau highlighted the need to make complementary use of different means of firepower. Colonel Wojciech Dalka of the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces stressed the importance of developing national self-sufficiency and production capabilities.

Colonel Jacek Żołnowski, meanwhile, spoke about the importance of conventional artillery, which – despite the rapid development of drones – remains one of the most important means of delivering firepower.

From Years of Research to Weeks of Deployment

The rapidly changing nature of the battlefield was also a key topic during the 7th Ukrainian-Polish Forum for Defence Industry Cooperation, “Unmanned Combat Systems – Experience and the Future”.

Participants noted that the war in Ukraine has completely transformed the pace of defence technology development. Solutions that were once developed over a period of years now have to be tested, refined and deployed within weeks.

Discussions covered not only drones, but also counter-drone systems, artificial intelligence, robotics, cyber security, sensors and dual-use technologies.

Andrzej Burgs, President of Sygnis S.A., stressed that industry must be ready to make decisions quickly and develop products iteratively.

– Equipment either works or it doesn’t. You have to take the risk and verify it. If it works, great. If it doesn’t, we iterate once again – he said.

Poland and Ukraine – Increasingly Concrete Areas of Cooperation

Polish-Ukrainian cooperation was one of the dominant themes of the day.

The Congress Centre hosted a multi-hour meeting devoted to strategic cooperation between the defence sectors of the two countries. Discussions covered, among other things, long-range drones, FPV systems, interceptor drones, maritime and land systems, as well as mechanisms for joint development and production.

The Build with Ukraine and Drone Deal programmes were also discussed, along with opportunities for further expanding industrial cooperation.

The meetings brought together representatives of public administration, companies, industry organisations and expert communities from both countries.

PGZ Presents Its SAFE Offering

The third day of MSPO was also important from the perspective of promoting Polish industry on export markets.

Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa presented a catalogue of more than 60 products that can be offered under the European SAFE mechanism.

Jan Grabowski, Vice-President of the Management Board of PGZ S.A., stressed that the Group is ready to sell its solutions to countries participating in the programme.

– Our catalogue contains more than 60 PGZ Group products that have been approved for the SAFE programme. We are ready to sell these products to our EU allies participating in the SAFE mechanism – he said.

During MSPO, talks were held with partners from Greece and Spain, among others. The Baobab scatterable mine-laying system was also among the products attracting interest.

MSPO as a Platform for Talks on Financing and Industrial Development

The third day of the Exhibition also featured numerous meetings devoted to financing, business cooperation and building a support ecosystem for the defence and dual-use sectors.

A conference organised in cooperation with the Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy explored opportunities for financing investments related to security and dual-use technologies.

At the same time, the “Świętokrzyskie Sieciuje: Defence & Dual-Use” consultation meetings were held, alongside a series of presentations entitled “The Defence and Dual-Use Industry Support Ecosystem”, training sessions on cooperation with NATO institutions, and the “Administration for Defence” conference.

Many of these meetings were attended by representatives of ministries, chambers of commerce, industry organisations and businesses.

Robotisation, Automation and Technologies of the Future

New technologies were another major focus of the day.

During the “Defence Industry 4.0” debate, experts discussed automation, robotisation and the digital transformation of the defence industry. Meanwhile, the “Battlefield Robotisation – From the Laboratory to Equipment for the Polish Armed Forces” panel brought together representatives of academia, research institutes, industry and the military to examine the path from research and development to practical implementation.

The “Photonics4Defense 2026: Technology Exchange & Matchmaking” seminar was also held, focusing on photonics and technologies used in the defence sector.

Energy, Hydrogen and New Logistics Models

One of the more forward-looking topics of the day was the “Hydrogen Revolution on the Battlefield 2035” conference.

Experts examined the potential use of hydrogen, ammonia, e-methanol and SAF fuels in military and logistics systems.

The discussion also focused on the concept of the Multi-Fuel Defence Energy Hub – a system integrating the production, storage and distribution of energy and fuels for military bases, ports, airports and other military infrastructure.

Societal Resilience as Part of Security

The third day of MSPO also broadened the security debate beyond the strictly military sphere.

During the 1st International Forum of Societal Resilience Leaders, representatives of public administration, uniformed services, local authorities, civil society organisations and business discussed civil protection, civil defence and building societal resilience.

Topics included cooperation between the state, local authorities, civil society organisations and the private sector, the functioning of supply chains, and preparing citizens for crisis situations.

Hanwha Receives the “Proud Veteran” Award

An important event with a strong social dimension was the presentation of the “Proud Veteran 2026” statuette.

The award went to Hanwha Aerospace Europe in recognition of its commitment to supporting the veteran community and the families of service personnel.

The statuette was presented by Stanisław Wziątek, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of National Defence, and Tomasz Kloc, President of the Association of Wounded and Injured in Missions Abroad.

– Poland must remember you, as must all those who owe you our freedom, independence and security – said Stanisław Wziątek.

Medal Presented to Targi Kielce President

Dr Andrzej Mochoń, President of the Management Board of Targi Kielce, was also honoured during the third day of MSPO.

Lieutenant General Artur Kuptel, Head of the Armament Agency, presented him with the commemorative “15th Anniversary Medal of the Armament Agency”, awarded in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the Agency and the modernisation of the Polish Armed Forces.

– We do not work with medals in mind. It is nevertheless very gratifying to know that you recognise our work. There is no greater satisfaction for us than seeing our guests happy and knowing that what we do makes a difference – said Dr Andrzej Mochoń.

Employees of Targi Kielce involved in many years of cooperation with the Armament Agency also received distinctions and acknowledgements.

A Day Full of Talks

The third day of MSPO 2026 demonstrated that the Exhibition is about much more than displays of military equipment.

From ammunition and unmanned systems, through robotisation, dual-use technologies and industrial financing, to societal resilience, logistics and new energy sources – virtually every key area of modern security found its place in the event programme.

Dozens of parallel meetings, debates, seminars and business discussions once again confirmed MSPO’s role as a platform bringing together the military, public administration, academia, industry and international partners.

One final day of the 34th International Defence Industry Exhibition lies ahead.