International Black Sea Defense, Aviation and Security Fair (BSDA) will open its doors in Bucharest tomorrow. BSDA 2026, organized under the auspices of the Romanian Presidency, will start in ROMAERO on Wednesday, May 12. Hundreds of defense industry companies, military officials and international delegations are expected to attend the fair and it is expected to be the largest organization in its 20-year history. The event is being held at a time when Europe is accelerating its defense spending and military modernization programs due to the Russia-Ukraine War and security concerns in the region.
According to the statement made by BSDA, more than 650 companies from 36 countries, 7 national pavilions, and more than 350 Romanian and foreign officials will attend this year’s fair.; Approximately 30 thousand visitors will visit the fair during the three-day event. High-level political and military representatives from all over the region are also expected to attend the fair. Defense ministers, chiefs of staff, ambassadors, parliamentarians and delegations from NATO allies and partner countries are expected to meet in Bucharest.
At BSDA 2026, unmanned systems, anti-drone technologies and artificial intelligence applications will be among the main agenda topics of the fair. In these areas, the lessons learned from the battlefield in Ukraine are expected to come to the fore. Organizers reported that more than 100 companies will exhibit unmanned aerial vehicles and related technologies at the fair. Major defense companies will be at the fair. International defense industry companies that will participate in the fair include Lockheed Martin, Hanwha Aerospace, Raytheon, Otokar, Leonardo, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, ASFAT, General Dynamics, L3Harris Technologies, Elbit Systems, Thales, Damen, Hyundai Rotem, MBDA, BAE Systems, Diehl Defense and Airbus.
A full-scale model of the F-35 Lightning II fighter jet will also be exhibited at the fair. This model will be brought by Lockheed Martin within the scope of the 32 F-35 procurement program planned by Romania. The first two days of BSDA 2026 will be open only to official delegations, military representatives and business visitors. The outdoor exhibition section of the fair will be opened to the public on Friday.
Comments
You can write your views about this story. Comments may be moderated according to site settings.