Event

Defence TechDay 2026: Technological Dominance in the Field

22. October 2026

09:00 - 16:30

Fliegerhorst Erding
Landshuter Straße 70
85435 Erding
Deutschland
Display in Google Maps

Drohne, Rakete, Roboter, Satellit und Dashboard vor schwarzem hintergrund um einen Globus., AI-generated AI-Generated KI-Generiert mit OpenAI,

PowerPoint is a thing of the past. Experience the future of defense live in action. No theoretical lectures, no isolated exhibition booths. At Erding Air Base, we’ll show you how modern technology defends our soldiers on the battlefield and protects the public. (Invitation-only event)

Modern conflicts change in a matter of days, not procurement cycles. Defense TechDay 2026 breaks with traditional trade show and event formats. We bring developers, military forces, intelligence agencies, and security pioneers together in one place to discuss technological requirements where they belong: in real-world settings.

Live hardware & data streams instead of slides.

Real-time system integration: From satellites in orbit to autonomous interceptors on the ground. A fully integrated, highly dynamic sensor-to-shooter chain—live, systemic, and in real time.

No silos.

Live Scenarios: A Mission in 3 Acts
An interconnected live scenario on the battlefield of 2026+
Experience a cohesive battlefield demonstration. Three phases, each building on the previous one, demonstrate how networked systems create situational awareness and protect human lives:

Act I — Military Space & Early Warning
From orbit to the battlefield.
Strategic space reconnaissance detects enemy troop movements and heat signatures from space. AI-powered data fusion processes multispectral and radar data in seconds and triggers automatic alerts to troops in the field.

Act II — Protecting Mobile Forces in the Field
Autonomy against new threats.
When GPS fails and jammers prove ineffective: A mobile reconnaissance unit comes under fire from modern drones and GNSS spoofing. The solution? Cutting-edge technology from Bavaria.

Act III — Autonomous Point Defense
Multi-layer defense for critical infrastructure.
The enemy launches a massive saturation attack on a base housing high-value stationary targets. Networked, autonomous weapon systems take over fire control and prioritization in milliseconds. What role does the human play in this loop?

Civil-Military Cooperation, Critical Infrastructure Protection, and Internal Security
Modern wars are no longer won or lost solely on a physical front. Cognitive warfare, cyberattacks, sabotage of critical infrastructure (KRITIS), and targeted disinformation directly undermine societal resilience within the country.
That is why internal security at Defense TechDay is not merely a side issue alongside military intelligence and defense—it permeates the day’s program and is contextualized and discussed with security agencies and researchers in preparation for potential crises.

Grand Opening of the Defense Lab Erding
New Test Environment & Opening of the DLE
In addition, we are pleased to include the grand opening of the Defense Lab Erding by Mr. Jens Plötner, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Defense; Mr. Dr. Markus Söder, Minister-President; Mr. Hubert Aiwanger, Minister of State for Economic, Regional Development, and Energy, Hubert Aiwanger, and Mr. Max Gotz, Mayor of the City of Erding, into our supporting program.

Networking at the Air Base
Between the live demos, a unique atmosphere awaits you on the historic tarmac of the former Erding Air Base:
Exclusive exhibition areas & hands-on demonstrations.
Top-notch food trucks & open-air networking.
Direct access to decision-makers from politics, the armed forces, security agencies, and the high-tech industry.

Tentative program; subject to change.

9:00 a.m.

Admission & Opening of the Accompanying Exhibition

9:30 a.m.

Networking

10:30 a.m.

Welcome

Dr. Rainer Seßner
Managing Director | CEO, Bayern Innovativ GmbH, Nuremberg

10:45 a.m.

Opening

Staatssekretär Jens Plötner bmvg.de,
Jens Plötner
Staatssekretär im Bundesministerium der Verteidigung
Dr. Markus Söder, MdL Staatsregierung,
Dr. Markus Söder, MdL
Bayerischer Ministerpräsident
Porträt von Hubert Aiwanger StMWi,
Hubert Aiwanger
Bavarian Minister of State for Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy, Bavarian State Ministry for Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy

11:10 a.m.

Keynote Address

Prof. Dr. mont. Dr.-Ing. habil. Eva-Maria Kern
MBA, Präsidentin der Universität der Bundeswehr München
Christoph Heinen
Head of Innovation network Security, Bayern Innovativ GmbH, Nuremberg

11:30 a.m.

Scenario 1: Strategic Reconnaissance & Early Warning

11:50 a.m.

Panel Discussion: Strategic Intelligence & Early Warning

Host:

Panelists:

Generalmajor Armin Fleischmann
Kommandeur Unterstützungskräfte und Abteilungsleiter „Planung Cyber- und Informationsraum und Digitalisierung der Bundeswehr“
Close Up of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Andreas Knopp Prof. Dr.-Ing. Andreas Knopp,
Prof. Dr. Andreas Knopp
University professor, Chair of Signal Processing, University of the Bundeswehr Munich
Portraitbild Manfred Hauser Bayerisches Landesamt für Verfassungsschutz,
Manfred Hauser
Präsident des Bayerischen Landesamts für Verfassungsschutz

12:30 p.m.

Break

2:20 p.m.

Panel Discussion: Protecting Mobile Workers

Panelists:

Michael Meinl
Brigadegeneral des Heeres der Bundeswehr

3:00 p.m.

Break

3:30 p.m.

Scenario 3: Protection of High-Value Targets

3:50 p.m.

Panel Discussion: Protection of High-Value Targets

Panelists:

Portrait von Frank Sauer Sauer, München,
PD Dr. Frank Sauer
Head of Research, Metis Institut für Strategie und Vorausschau

4:30 p.m.

Graduation

Dr. Rainer Seßner
Managing Director | CEO, Bayern Innovativ GmbH, Nuremberg
An exclusive ecosystem.

Defence TechDay is a closed, high-level event designed to ensure professional exchange at the highest level.
 
Who attends:
Decision-makers from the Federal Ministry of Defense (BMVg), the Bundeswehr, and international armed forces.
Security agencies, the Federal Intelligence Service (BND), the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), and state police forces.
Leaders from the defense tech industry, deep-tech founders, and research institutions.
 
Join us in Erding in October 2026 and play an active role in shaping Europe’s technological sovereignty!

Your Contact

If you have any questions about the event, please feel free to contact: techhubsvi(at)bayern-innovativ.de

Project Management

Christoph Heinen
Head of Innovation network Security, Bayern Innovativ GmbH, Nuremberg
Bianca Sum
Innovation network Digitization, Project Manager, Bayern Innovativ GmbH, Munich

Organizational Contact

Nadine Singer
Innovation network Security, Project Organisation, Bayern Innovativ GmbH, Nuremberg

Marketing & Communications

Angela Ringlein
Innovation network Security, Marketing, Bayern Innovativ GmbH, Nuremberg