The 31st International Defense Industry Exhibition MSPO started Tuesday in Kielce, Poland.
The fair was officially opened by the President of the Republic of Poland, Andrzej Duda, who emphasized the importance of MSPO for Polish defense.
“It is here, among others in Kielce, that the modern Polish Defense Industry was created. Today, when we see the emerging danger behind our eastern border, we know it perfectly well, history and experience have taught us that there is no price for Poland to be free, sovereign and independent. So that the soldier wouldn’t have to fight. For this to happen, it must be perfectly armed,” the Polish President stated.
The opening ceremony was honored by performances of Polish and Korean military orchestras and a show by taekwondo masters. The Minister of Defense Acquisitions of the Republic of Korea also spoke. Mr. Eom Donghwan and the President of Kielce, Bogdan Wenta.
Sebastian Chwałek, President of the Polish Armaments Group, which is a strategic partner of MSPO, noted that “The International Defense Industry Exhibition is an event without which we cannot imagine the development of the arms industry in Poland.”
For his part, Mariusz Błaszczak, Minister of National Defense, recalled the previous edition of the event: “When we met last year, we said that the 30th edition was the biggest in history. The 31st edition is larger in terms of exhibitor interest and exhibition space. This is undoubtedly our success. Our common success, which serves the defense of the Republic of Poland, but also peace on the eastern flank of the North Atlantic Alliance,” he said.
“The MSPO fair is one of the three most important defense industry exhibitions in Europe. We are observing huge interest in this year’s edition. This year, we gathered over 700 companies from 35 countries around the world. The exhibition has expanded to include another temporary hall, which we built especially for the needs of MSPO,” said Dr. Andrzej Mochoń, President of Targi Kielce.
MSPO 2023 gathered several dozen more exhibitors than last year. The total area rented by the exhibitors was over 34,000 square meters. The guests of the Kielce exhibition center included: Ministry of National Defense, Armament Agency, Polish Armaments Group. On the first day alone, the defense industry fair was visited by several hundred journalists from every continent. The stands of Polish and global leaders of the defense industry featured, among others: helicopters, armor and missile equipment and chemical warfare materials.
During the first day of MSPO, the Polish Armaments Group and Korea Aerospace Industries announced that they will jointly implement a program to support the operation and logistics of the FA-50 light multi-role aircraft, as well as the possibility of supplying selected equipment.
There were also great premieres of military equipment. Fabryka Broni, the oldest manufacturer of rifles and pistols in Poland, presented the 9x19 mm MPS semi-automatic pistol for the first time. The unique product, which specialists have been working on for the last six years, aroused great interest not only among visitors, but also the media. This is not the only innovation in the arms industry. Almost every day of the show, equipment premieres are planned and further major contracts are concluded, including: with foreign and domestic partners.
The 31st edition of the International Defense Industry Exhibition will last until Friday, September 8, 2023. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced his presence on Thursday, September 7.
