Feindef 2025 sees record year: more than 44,000 attendees, 78% increase in international visitors

MADRID, May 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Defense and Security Exhibition of Spain, Feindef, had a record year in 2025, with more than 44,000 attendees, an increase of 78% in international presence, and the signing of numerous strategic agreements, becoming a "benchmark platform for cooperation" for the sector for three days.

With a strong international focus, the biennial fair, which has the institutional support of the Spanish Ministry of Defense, reinforced its global role.

Feindef Foundation President Ángel Olivares said the focus was "essential" to guarantee "our security and defense" and that, at the same time, "opens a very hopeful path for the future."

The fair, held from May 12 to 14 at Ifema Madrid, had 601 exhibitors (75% SMEs), of which 187 were international, and more than 90 delegations from different countries.

There was "intense diplomatic and commercial activity with representatives from 56 nations," according to organizers.

The European Defense Agency (EDA), Europol, the UN, NATO, the Organization for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR), and the European Commission were among the organizations participating.

During the three days, key issues in the sector were covered, such as unmanned systems, cyber defense, advances in artificial intelligence applied to military logistics, dual application technologies, and other major structural challenges, such as the importance of attracting and retaining talent and making young people more security aware.

The fair served as an "ideal framework to facilitate agreements on international strategic alliances," said Olivares. The president also saw it as a space to continue advancing towards "a single defense market in Europe." This is in a context, in which EU leaders have agreed to boost security and defense spending, which, according to Brussels, could result in a rise of up to 800 billion euros.

The event also served as a platform for formalizing more than a dozen relevant agreements. Those include ones reached by Ukraine with both national and international companies, those made by TEDAE (Spanish Association of Technology Companies for Defense, Security, Aeronautics and Space) and AESMIDE (Association of Contractors with Public Administrations), letters of intent signed by the Spanish Ministry of Defense with the European Defense Agency (EDA), and a memorandum of understanding signed between Spanish industry and Turkish Aerospace for an integrated training program for the Spanish Air and Space Force.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2696223/FEINDEF.jpg