Belgium Launches BEDEX 2026 as a New Defense Exhibition in Brussels for NATO and European Industry.

Belgium officially launched BEDEX 2026 on 3 February 2026 during a press conference in Brussels, unveiling a new international defense and security exhibition to be held in Brussels from 12 to 14 March 2026. Organizers say the initiative aims to reinforce Belgium’s position as a central hub for European and NATO defense stakeholders.

Belgium formally announced the launch of BEDEX 2026 on 3 February 2026 during a press conference held in Brussels, presenting the event as a long-term addition to Europe’s defense and security exhibition landscape. Addressing an audience of institutional representatives, senior military officials, and defense industry executives, organizers described BEDEX as a strategic platform designed to leverage Belgium’s role at the crossroads of NATO, the European Union, and the continent’s defense industrial base.
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Belgium launches its first international defense exhibition BEDEX 2026 to be held in Brussels from 12 to 14 March 2026. (Picture source: BEDEX 2026)

BEDEX 2026 is scheduled to take place in Brussels from 12 to 13 March 2026 for defense professionals, followed by a 14 March 2026 session for the general public. Organizers presented the event as a multi-domain defense exhibition covering land, air, naval, and joint capabilities, with a clear focus on military equipment, operational technologies, and defense-industrial cooperation. The dual-format structure reflects an effort to balance professional-level defense dialogue with broader public engagement on security and defense issues.

A central element of the BEDEX concept is its location in Brussels. This city hosts NATO headquarters, the European Commission, and multiple EU defense bodies involved in capability development, procurement coordination, and industrial policy. By situating the exhibition in this environment, BEDEX 2026 aims to facilitate direct interaction between manufacturers, military end users, political decision-makers, and institutional stakeholders, positioning the event as more than a traditional trade show and closer to a strategic defense forum with strong institutional gravity.

Speakers at the launch underlined that BEDEX 2026 intends to give particular visibility to European defense industries while remaining open to international partners aligned with NATO standards and interoperability requirements. The exhibition is expected to showcase armored vehicles, artillery systems, air defense solutions, unmanned platforms, command-and-control technologies, and naval systems, as well as emerging domains such as cyber defense, space-enabled capabilities, and integrated battlefield networking. This equipment-centered approach reflects a deliberate effort to remain relevant to military planners rather than focusing solely on commercial or homeland security markets.

The timing of BEDEX 2026 is also significant. European defense spending continues to rise, driven by lessons learned from recent conflicts, renewed emphasis on deterrence, and pressure to rebuild industrial capacity. In this context, Belgian officials and organizers framed BEDEX as a tool to support defense-industrial dialogue, foster partnerships, and reinforce Belgium’s role as a facilitator within the broader European defense ecosystem, rather than as a direct competitor to long-established exhibitions.

Army Recognition has been officially designated as the only Official Online Show Daily News and Web Partner for BEDEX 2026, ensuring exclusive digital coverage of the exhibition from its preparation phase through to the event itself. This partnership grants Army Recognition a central role in delivering continuous news reporting, in-depth technical analysis of showcased defense systems, original photography, and exclusive interviews with military officials, program managers, and industry leaders participating in BEDEX 2026.

Through its Defense Web TV platform and global online readership, Army Recognition will provide daily coverage of BEDEX 2026, offering readers detailed insights into displayed equipment, procurement discussions, and strategic trends emerging from the exhibition floor. This exclusive status reinforces Army Recognition’s position as a trusted reference for defense professionals. It confirms BEDEX 2026 as a new event to watch closely within the evolving calendar of European defense exhibitions.

Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.