This year's 17th International Defence and Security Technologies Fair IDET celebrated, like the Czech Army, 30 years since its inception. IDET, together with other trade fairs PYROS and ISET, forms a complete offer of cutting-edge equipment, technologies and developments for the Integrated Rescue System of the Czech Republic. Recently, the need to be informed and prepared to deal with various security risks has grown and is still growing, which is also helped by the IDET trade fair, and this year's unprecedented interest of 551 exhibiting companies from 29 countries only confirmed this. Over the three days, more than 30,000 visitors from dozens of countries viewed the trade fairs. The sophisticated exposition of the Ministry of Defence and the Army of the Czech Republic appealed to visitors with its scope and variety. The long-awaited signing of the contract for the purchase of 246 CV90 tracked infantry fighting vehicles for CZK 59.7 billion also took place on the first day of the fair. Visitors could also see in almost one place the exhibition of state-owned enterprises that fall under the Ministry of Defence, namely LOM PRAHA with its subsidiary VR Group, VOP CZ, VTÚ and VVÚ.

Video: Reportage/Interviews: This year's IDET was extraordinary in terms of interest and presentations / CZ DEFENCE

One of the main attractions was the exposition of the Army of the Czech Republic, which impressed with the presentation of old and modern military equipment used by the Czech Armed Forces. Deputy Director of the Planning and Capabilities Section of the MoD Col. Jan Susekár told CZ DEFENCE that 200 soldiers took care of the display of about 70 exhibits throughout the fair. It was interesting to see the development of technology not only in the tents of the military health care, but especially in the tent of the cyber forces command. "In one tent you can play DUNE on old Windows 386, 486 computers and across the street we're already showing cyber operations.

Picture: One of the main attractions was the exhibition of the Army of the Czech Republic, which impressed with the presentation of old and modern military equipment used by the Czech Armed Forces. | Michal Pivoňka / CZ DEFENCE

For example, we show server hacking and protection or information operations. For example, you can see how to find your face and fake that you were a participant in a demonstration," said Colonel Susekár. Among the demonstrations of combat equipment, the comparison of T-72M1 and Leopard 2A4 tanks or the installation of the 3D radar MADR certainly caught the eye.

Picture: Among the demonstrations of combat equipment, the comparison between the Leopard 2A4 tanks (in the foreground) and the T-72M1 tanks was certainly interesting | Michal Pivoňka / CZ DEFENCE

The extraordinary interest in this year's IDET fair was also assessed by AOBP President Jiří Hynek, who believes that security risks are growing around us. "Here it is possible to see technologies that will help us live safer and better and strengthen our defences. This is where this year's event is really special," said Jiří Hynek. The segment dedicated to science and research was also an important part of the event. "Science, research and innovation are the engine of the future of humanity. This is what drives us forward and what allows us to live better and more comfortable lives, but also safer lives. It is a chance for new small start-ups, researchers from universities to show the results of their work, to find a suitable partner or investor. From an idea to a product," says AOBP President Hynek. We were interested in how the situation in Ukraine affected this year's IDET. "Ukraine has changed not only this fair. Ukraine has also changed the perception of the defence industry in the eyes of the professional and lay public. I am glad that people have started to realize that if we do not have a strong domestic industry, if we do not have a strong army, it may also happen that we will speak a language other than Czech here," AOBP President Jiří Hynek told CZ DEFENCE. Thanks to AOBP, the Start-up Innovation Pavilion project was also held for the second time, where six innovative start-ups from the fields of defence, security, aviation and aerospace presented their solutions.

Picture: AOBP President Jiří Hynek also assessed the extraordinary interest in this year's IDET, saying that security risks are growing around us. "Here it is possible to see technologies that will help us live safer and better and strengthen our defences," said Jiří Hynek. | Michal Pivoňka / CZ DEFENCE

There were many interesting and innovative exhibits at IDET. For example, Retia, part of the Czechoslovak Group holding, presented the first Czech comprehensive anti-drone solution ReCas.

Picture: AOBP President Jiří Hynek also assessed the extraordinary interest in this year's IDET, saying that security risks are growing around us. "Here it is possible to see technologies that will help us live safer and better and strengthen our defences," said Jiří Hynek. | Michal Pivoňka / CZ DEFENCE

The Morana howitzer – the latest artillery system from Excalibur Army – also had its Czech premiere at the CSG stand.

Picture: The Morana howitzer – the latest artillery system from Excalibur Army – also had its Czech premiere at the CSG exhibition. | Michal Pivoňka / CZ DEFENCE

This year, STV GROUP presented the 30 x 173 mm Oerlikon Skyranger turret from Rheinmetall Air Defence (formerly Oerlikon Contraves).

Picture: STV GROUP presented this year the Oerlikon Skyranger turret in 30 x 173 mm calibre | Michal Pivoňka / CZ DEFENCE

This air defence weapon station can be mounted on an 8x8 wheeled platform or a tracked platform such as the CV90. Agados, in turn, introduced trailers for BAE Systems' BvS10 tracked vehicles and many other innovative techniques.

Picture: Agados again presented trailers for BAE Systems' BvS10 tracked vehicles | Michal Pivoňka / CZ DEFENCE

New products were also on display at the PYROS fire and security technology and services trade fairs and ISET. Tatra Trucks, in cooperation with THT Polička, presented a new generation of Tatra Force model series vehicles in firefighting design in a world premiere. The latest version of the SMV monitoring vehicle from the manufacturer EVPÚ Defence was on display at the stand of the Police of the Czech Republic.

Picture: Tatra Trucks, in cooperation with THT Polička, presented a new generation of Tatra Force model series vehicles in a firefighting version in a world premiere | Michal Pivoňka / CZ DEFENCE

This year's fair also saw a number of signings of investment contracts and memorandums of cooperation. The most important was certainly the signing of the contract for the purchase of new CV90 infantry fighting vehicles, which was approved by the government on the first day of the fair. At an impromptu press conference held at the stand of the CV90 armoured vehicle manufacturer BAE Systems, the participation of the five main Czech partners in the project – VOP CZ, Excalibur Army, VR Group, Ray Service and Meopta – was also confirmed.

Picture: A number of investment contracts and memorandums of cooperation were signed at this year's fair. The most important was certainly the signing of a contract for the purchase of new CV90 infantry fighting vehicles, which was approved by the government on the first day of the fair. | Michal Pivoňka / CZ DEFENCE

The last-named Meopta will not only be involved in the production of UTAAS sights for the CV90 MkIV, but will also provide sights for SAAB's Carl-Gustaf M4 multi-purpose weapon systems. Another IDET-related development was the government's announcement that it has entered into negotiations for the purchase of around seventy Leopard tanks in the new 2A8 version, from the German company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann.

Picture: Leopard 2A7 | Michal Pivoňka / CZ DEFENCE

As part of another possible Czech acquisition of F-35 aircraft, the partner of this year's fair, the American company Lockheed Martin, presented, among other things, a desktop computer simulator of the new HOTAS dual stick flying system. The Lockheed Martin stand also hosted the signing of memorandums of cooperation, e.g. with PBS Velká Bíteš. The presence of delegations from 35 countries enabled many business negotiations, which resulted in, for example, the signing of a memorandum of cooperation between the Czech company Excalibur Army and the Turkish Institute of Türkiye Defence Industries in the development and production of ground-based weapon systems.

Picture: The Lockheed Martin stand also hosted the signing of memorandums of cooperation, e.g. with PBS Velká Bíteš. | Michal Pivoňka / CZ DEFENCE

Another memorandum was signed at the exhibition grounds by the Australian company Thales, on cooperation with the state enterprise VOP CZ and the company PRAMACOM-HT on the modification of Bushmaster vehicles as a possible universal wheeled platform for the Czech Army's engineer troops. Memoranda of cooperation were also signed at the domestic level, for example between the state enterprise LOM PRAHA and the Czech Technical University. In addition, LOM PRAHA concluded a contract between a subsidiary of VR Group and BAE Systems concerning a simulation solution for CV90 tracked infantry fighting vehicles. According to the director of LOM PRAHA, Jiří Protiva, a possible cooperation with Lockheed Martin in the framework of possible new fighter aircraft for the Air Force of the Czech Republic is also emerging. Of course, negotiations are developing. We have those individual areas that we are working on together, whether it's training or logistics or even maintenance itself. Our subsidiary (VR Group) communicates in the same way as we do. This means we act as a group, a strong group that is supported by the Czech army," Jiří Protiva, director of LOM PRAHA, told CZ DEFENCE.

One of the highlights of IDET was the traditional awarding of the best exhibits with the "GOLDEN IDET" prize. This year, the evaluation committee awarded a total of five GOLDEN IDET 2023 prizes to the following products: SUMO-C900HD cooled thermal imaging camera from EVPÚ Defence, modular container loader on Tatra Phoenix 8x8 chassis from Tatra Trucks, MARS 4x4 modular vehicle produced in international cooperation between Czech company SVOS and Swedish company SAAB, STARKOM mobile tactical communication jammer supplied to the Czech Armed Forces by Vojenský výzkumný ústav s. p. and the DAPH high-sensitivity cholinesterase inhibitor produced by the Military Research Institute s. p.

Picture: Modular vehicle MARS 4x4 produced in international cooperation between Czech company SVOS and Swedish company SAAB | Michal Pivoňka / CZ DEFENCE

Within the framework of the competition for the GOLD IDET 2023, the committee also awarded two honorable mentions to innovative exhibits, namely the modular design of the simulator part of the F/A-18 C Hornet Flight Simulator from the manufacturer Dogfight Boss and the mobile firefighting robot MRAZ 3 FFI from the Slovak manufacturer Mraz Robotics. At the same time, two prestigious journalistic awards were presented to GOLDEN IDET NEWS 2023. In the logistics category, the jury of expert journalists awarded Agados for its wide range of multi-purpose and special trailers, including amphibious off-road trailers - for the armed forces and the integrated rescue system. In the weapon systems category, a joint project between the Czech company SVOS and the Swedish company SAAB was awarded, resulting in the new MARS 4x4 combat vehicle.

The outdoor IDET ARENA with a terrain polygon was the venue for demonstrations of dynamic use of military, firefighting and police equipment in action throughout the security fairs. Two important conferences organised by the University of Defence were also held as part of IDET. The "International Conference on Military Technologies (ICMT)" was an international forum for sharing innovations in military technology and the "International Conference Defence & Strategy 2023" was subtitled Strategic Decision Making in a Changing Security Environment.

Picture: The GOLD IDET 2023 was won by the SUMO-C900HD cooled thermal imaging camera from EVPÚ Defence | Michal Pivoňka / CZ DEFENCE

According to Lubomír Kovařík, Chairman of the Defence Industry Section of the Czech Chamber of Commerce, IDET is very important as it is a meeting of almost all companies of the Czech defence industry. Through the fair, Czech companies have the opportunity to present their products not only to the Czech armed forces, but also to foreign armed forces. "You must have noticed that there is a large number of foreign delegations accompanied by authorities from the Czech Republic, who go from stand to stand. Czech companies have the opportunity to show what they can offer and present themselves precisely because exports are extremely important for the Czech Republic and the Czech defence industry," explains Lubomir Kovařík, who also confirmed the fact that this year's IDET fair was significantly affected by the war in Ukraine. "One fundamental issue that emerges is that building strategic independence of each country in the defence industry is a key thing that every state must keep in mind. And you will also notice that most of the companies presenting here have a complete chain starting from research, production, servicing and deliveries abroad," said Lubomir Kovarik, adding, "It is very important that the Czech Army perceives the needs of the defence industry and perceives its own needs. A whole lot of presentations are being made, where the defence industry is able to show its products so that the user, i.e. the Army of the Czech Republic, can react and possibly change its direction in terms of the concept of the construction of the Army of the Czech Republic, so that it can implement the latest research, development and production findings into its plans and into its products, which it subsequently buys from the defence industry." According to Kovařík, there is definitely potential for growth of business cooperation in the Czech Republic, even though the Czech arms industry is strongly pro-export. "Let's look at the fact that next year, 2% of GDP will be spent on defence, which is a big space for the Czech defence industry to offer its products to the Czech Army, or to other armed forces or security forces, and to show what it is capable of producing, what it is capable of supplying," Lubomír Kovařík, chairman of the Defence Industry Section of the Czech Chamber of Commerce, told CZ DEFENCE.