Symposium 2026

The Estonian Defence Industry Symposium brings together defence industry experts and policymakers from over 30 countries. Under the theme “Next in Defence: Autonomy, Space & Industrial Readiness” the event focuses on 22 September on three priorities shaping Europe’s defence readiness:

A) Autonomy and AI: From Prototype to Solution

• “AI-ready defence industry”: what does AI readiness mean in production and development (data, models, quality, cybersecurity, export control).
• Human-machine teaming: how to shape the division of labour between humans and machines (decision logic, safety, responsibility).
• Edge AI and “contested environment”: reliability, electronic warfare and GPS jamming topics.
• Autonomous systems and counter-autonomy: UxV, drone swarms, countermeasures.

B) Space as a Defence Capability Layer: ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance), Communications, PNT (Positioning, Navigation and Timing), Situational Awareness

• Dual-use space capability: remote sensing, data services, sensor networks, “commercial ISR”.
• Space-based communications and continuity: backup networks, crisis-time infrastructure.
• Space domain awareness and defence: threats in orbit, interference, satellite protection.
• Regional role: what the Baltic states and Nordic countries can do together (data sharing, common standards, industrial cooperation).
• Enabling situational awareness – early warning, targeting.

C) Defence Industry Readiness: Demand, Investments, Cooperation

• Regional industrial cooperation: how to bring foreign partners to Estonia/Nordics and Baltics to manufacture/develop.
• Investor perspective: defence technology funds, risk, growth, procurement and export logic.
• Integrating innovation into the defence industry: from problem to integration.
• What measures accelerate industry-government cooperation?: the goal of changing defence procurement principles must be flexibility, speed, and supply chain security.
• How to involve industry in capability development from the start?: Cooperation must take place already in the early stage of capability development.

Pre-Symposium 21.09 (with pre-registration workshops at Kultuurikatel Õuetorn)

16:00–16:45 Autonomy Workshop: “Trusted AI & Autonomy Roadmap”
•    data readiness, testing/certification, safety, counter-autonomy, integration

17:00–17:45 Space Workshop: “Space Services for Defence: data-to-decision”
•    ISR/communications/PNT, data sharing, service models

18:00–18:45 Industry Workshop: What are the government’s expectations of the defence industry and what does industry need for rapid production scaling? Predictable demand from the government, multi-year procurement contracts, long-term supply chain resilience, funding mechanisms.

Venue: Tallinn Creative. Hub, Kursi 3, Blackbox and side halls

Opening hours:  22 September 9:00 - 16:00

*Please note: attending this event does not give you entry to other events scheduled for this week. The only exception is the access to the Tallinn Defence EXPO which is included in your symposim registration.