Spain gains prominence in European defence and FEINDEF 27 emerges as the industry’s leading showcase.

Europe is accelerating its investment in defence and reshaping its industrial and strategic landscape. In this context, Spain is consolidating its position as one of the countries with the greatest growth potential, driven by sustained increases in defence spending and an increasingly competitive industrial base. This development reflects the country’s strong commitment to European security.

The growth of the Spanish market is the result of a structural transformation. With annual investment exceeding €30 billion, Spain is launching capability modernisationprogrammes and technological developments that create tangible opportunities for industry, integrating innovation, dual-use technologies and stronger connections with European value chains. All of these positions Spain as a key player in the new industrial balance of European defence, while also demonstrating that investing in defence is an investment in preserving a way of life and ensuring a safer environment.

Related topic: FEINDEF 2025 Day 1 Highlights: New Defense Technologies and Innovations Unveiled in Madrid Spain

FEINDEF 25 attracted 43,323 professional attendees, 628 exhibitors, 211 international exhibitors, 91 official delegations and representatives from 68 countries. (Picture source: FEINDEF)

For international companies, the Spanish market offers more than access: it offers long-term opportunities. Public-private collaboration, institutional support and openness to partnerships are driving an industrial cycle that creates concrete opportunities for growth and strategic positioning across Europe.

Against this backdrop, FEINDEF 27, the International Defence and Security Exhibition of Spain, is firmly established as the natural gateway to this ecosystem. It provides a platform where industry, institutions and international delegations come together in an environment designed to generate business opportunities and facilitate the establishment and expansion of international companies within one of the continent’s most promising markets.

With institutional backing from the Ministry of Defence and the support of TEDAE and AESMIDE, the business associations representing Spain’s defence industry, FEINDEF has strengthened its position as one of Europe’s leading defence events. Its multi-domain approach, encompassing land, naval, air, space, cyber and emerging technologies, reflects the evolution towards increasingly interconnected operational environments. However, its key differentiator lies in its ability to generate concrete opportunities: access to high-level decision-makers, the promotion of industrial cooperation and agendas focused on delivering tangible results.

The 2025 edition marked a turning point, with visitor numbers increasing by nearly 80% and participating companies growing by more than 40%. This progress reflects the growing interest in an expanding market and in a platform that connects the sector’s key stakeholders.

Its exhibition spaces bring together major Spanish companies, SMEs, start-ups, technology centres and universities, alongside an international presence that continues to grow through official delegations, international organisations and companies from Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Organisations such as NATO, the European Union and the European Defence Agency are also represented. These are stakeholders with genuine decision-making capacity, making the exhibition a space for strategic dialogue and effective collaboration.

FEINDEF 27 represents another step forward in this evolution. With projections exceeding 63,000 professional visitors, around 800 exhibiting companies, 400 international delegations and more than 100 heads of international delegations, the exhibition will expand its footprint to nearly 90,000 square metres. The focus will be on the quality of interactions: enhanced B2B agendas, greater participation from decision-makers and an environment designed to create strategic positioning opportunities across Europe.

At a time when Europe is accelerating the strengthening of its industrial and technological capabilities, FEINDEF 27 serves as a meeting point that acts as a catalyst for capability development while reflecting a shared ambition: to build a safer environment, strengthen public support for the sector and move towards a model in which defence is perceived as a European public good.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.

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