Equipped for success

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Defence & Security Equipment International (DSEI); two decades in which the biennial event has grown to cover the whole sector and provide a venue to discover the best in cutting-edge technologies and share expertise.

Held at London’s ExCel on 10–13 September, DSEI 2019 will focus on the industry’s most pressing issues, including emerging technologies, cross-sector exploitation and international collaboration. The presence of over 50 countries testifies to the event’s global reach.

DSEI 2019 will see attendees numbering over 35,000, with more than 1,600 exhibitors and 300 leading speakers. Equipment and systems will be showcased across five zones: aerospace, land, naval, security and joint – the last offering the chance to explore innovations that serve the whole sector in fields such as medical, communications and logistics.

Innovation on display

Specialised hubs within each zone provide focused areas for key and emerging sectors. The new Space Hub in the Aerospace Zone caters to the importance of this area, as military operations increasingly rely on satellite information. In the Security Zone, innovators in cybersecurity will be found exhibiting at the Cyber Hub.

The Land Zone is the largest of the five and is supported by the British Army, with developments in areas including armoured vehicles, body armour, unmanned ground vehicles and reconnaissance systems on display. The Aerospace Zone, supported by the RAF and featuring manned, unmanned and space capabilities, will be DSEI’s strongest to date. It will cover the entire supply chain, and will offer presentations from top-level speakers, including UK ministers and Ministry of Defence service chiefs, in the renowned Aerospace Seminar.

“I very much look forward to continuing my personal support to DSEI,” Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier stated on the event website. “It provides an excellent opportunity to explore the development of airpower capability, through engagement with the widest range of industry and international partners.”

The DSEI seminars, established in 2013, provide an opportunity for attendees to hear from highranking MOD officials, international officers, and experts from industry and academia, and kickstart dialogue and debate. In 2017, 149 seminars were held in the event’s five theatres.

35,000
The number of people due to attend DSEI 2019.
DSEI

“DSEI is a fantastic showcase for defence companies where international buyers, sellers, developers, thinkers, educators and the trainers can all get together,” James Gray MP, House of Commons Defence Committee, also commented on the event website. “The UK defence industry is looking to recruit more engineers, scientists and developers into 200,000 jobs and up to 10,000 apprentices within UK defence companies. DSEI is an excellent tool to highlight the challenges the industry faces, as well as showcase its capabilities domestically and overseas.”