DEFEA 2025 concluded with absolute success, attracting unprecedented global participation with 30,137 visitors from 92 countries who explored state-of-the-art defence and security systems across domains including land, sea, air, and space. The exhibition positioned Greece at the forefront of the international defence landscape, creating substantial opportunities for defence industrial cooperation and strategic partnerships.

As an independent consultancy with deep expertise across defence, space, maritime and homeland security sectors, EUDIMA attended DEFEA 2025 to engage with the global defence community, explore emerging technologies, and participate in strategic discussions on the future of defence capabilities.

Throughout the three-day exhibition, our team:

• Engaged in B2B Meetings: Conducted business-to-business discussions with industry leaders, defence primes, and innovative technology providers from across the globe
• Strategic Networking: Connected with official delegations, government representatives, and defence industry stakeholders from over 90 nations
• Technology Assessment: Explored cutting-edge defence systems and innovations across land, naval, aerospace, and cyber security domains
• Industry Insights: Gained valuable insights into emerging trends, capability requirements, and collaborative opportunities in the global defence sector

High-Level International Participation

DEFEA 2025 featured robust participation from key international organizations, including the European Commission and NATO. Senior representatives from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DG DEFIS), the European Defence Agency (EDA), NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA), and the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) held productive meetings with delegations and industry leaders.

The event attracted high-profile attendees including Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Chiefs of Armed Forces, and senior executives from major defence companies worldwide, providing an exceptional platform for engagement at the highest levels of the defence community.

Key Focus Areas

EUDIMA’s participation at DEFEA 2025 focused on exploring opportunities and developments in several critical areas:

• Defence Industrial Cooperation: Understanding bilateral and multilateral cooperation opportunities across European and international partners
• Funding Mechanisms: Exploring EU defence funding instruments, including the European Defence Fund (EDF) and national investment programmes
• Dual-Use Technologies: Identifying innovative dual-use solutions and their applications across defence and security sectors
• Maritime Systems: Examining advanced naval systems, shipbuilding capabilities, and maritime security technologies
• Emerging Technologies: Assessing developments in unmanned systems, cyber security, space-based capabilities, and artificial intelligence applications
• Regional Defence Priorities: Understanding capability requirements and procurement priorities for Greece, Southeast Europe, and the wider Mediterranean region

European Defence Fund Presence

The European Commission’s DG DEFIS maintained a prominent presence at DEFEA 2025, showcasing EDF funding opportunities and EU-funded projects. This alignment between national and European defence initiatives highlighted the growing integration of defence industrial policy across the continent—an area where EUDIMA’s expertise in EU funding strategy provides significant value to clients.

Strategic Location and Regional Importance

Held in the heart of the Mediterranean basin, DEFEA 2025 underscored Greece’s pivotal role as a NATO member and key industrial partner in Southeast Europe. The exhibition attracted delegations from Europe, North America, Africa, Central and Eastern Asia, and the Middle East, demonstrating the strategic importance of the region and the opportunities for cross-regional defence cooperation.

Industry Insights and Future Outlook

DEFEA 2025 provided valuable insights into the evolving defence landscape:

• Accelerating modernization programmes across Greek armed forces
• Growing emphasis on unmanned systems, autonomous platforms, and AI-enabled capabilities
• Increased focus on cyber security and resilient communication systems
• Strengthening of European defence industrial collaboration
• Rising importance of supply chain resilience and domestic industrial capacity
• Integration of space-based capabilities with traditional defence domains

Building Strategic Partnerships

The exhibition offered EUDIMA an exceptional opportunity to strengthen existing relationships and develop new partnerships across the global defence community. The combination of exhibition floor engagement, B2B meetings, and informal networking events facilitated meaningful connections with key stakeholders in government, industry, and international organizations.

EUDIMA’s participation in DEFEA 2025 reinforced our commitment to supporting defence industrial cooperation through our specialized expertise in funding strategy, dual-use infrastructure, and navigating complex international defence programmes.

We extend our appreciation to the Hellenic Ministry of National Defence, SEKPY (Hellenic Manufacturers of Defence Material Association), and ROTA Exhibitions Greece for organizing this exceptional event. We look forward to participating in DEFEA 2027, scheduled for May 18-20, 2027.