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10–12 NOVEMBER 2026
/
CELJE FAIR, CELJE, SLOVENIA
/
Opening hours: 
9 AM – 5 PM

Programme 2026

Location: Conference Hall E

  • The conference programme can be found below.
  • In parallel with the Conference programme, trade show presentations will take place continuously in Halls K, L and L1.
Tuesday, 10 November 2026
  • 08:30
    Visitors' Registration
  • 09:00
    Event Opening and Security Check
  • 10:00 – 10:45
    Official Opening of SIDEC 2026 Conference and Exhibition
  • 10:45 – 13:30
    Lunch, networking and individual visit to the trade fair
  • 13:30 – 15:30

    Keynote Panel: Defence Industry Adaptation Based on Operational and Battlefield Experience in Modern Conflicts: Lessons Learned from Ukraine

  • 15:30 – 17:00
    End of the conference and individual visit to the trade fair
  • 17:00
    End of Day 1
*The programme of the Official opening and Keynote Panel will be simultaneously interpreted.
Wednesday, 11 November 2026
  • 08:30
    Visitors' Registration
  • 09:00
    Event Opening and Security Check
  • 9:45 – 10:45

    Panel: UASs and Training – Practical Experience from Ukraine

  • 11:00 – 12:00

    Panel: Future Soldier – Detection, Sensing and Digital Twins

  • 12:00 – 14:00
    Lunch, networking and individual visit to the trade fair
  • 12:30
    MoU Signing ceremony (FORUM)
  • 14:00 – 15:30

    Panel: Energy Resilience as a Key Defence Capability

  • 15:30 – 17:00
    End of the conference and individual visit to the trade fair
  • 17:00
    End of Day 2
Thursday, 12 November 2026
  • 08:30
    Visitors' Registration
  • 09:00
    Event Opening and Security Check
  • 10:00 – 11:30

    Panel: Space and Defence - Dual-Use Applications and Federated Capability Development under the ESA Framework: Multiplying Capabilities and Enhancing Resilience

  • 15:00
    Solemn Closing of the Official part of SIDEC 2026
  • 12:00 – 17:00

    End of the conference and individual visit to the trade fair

    Trade fair open to the general public

  • 17:00
    Official Closing of SIDEC 2026
In the meantime, there will be time for networking and independent visit to the fair.

*The entire conference programme will be conducted in English without interpretation

CONFERENCE PROGRAMME

Tuesday, 10 November 2026 / 13.30–15.30

Defence Industry Adaptation Based on Operational and Battlefield Experience in Modern Conflicts: Lessons Learned from Ukraine

The panel brings together senior representatives from politics, the military and the defence industry to examine how the war in Ukraine is changing approaches to operations, industrial production and allied cooperation. The focus will be on concrete experience from Ukraine and on how NATO and the EU are translating these lessons into faster adaptation of defence capabilities.

Keynote Speakers
Industrial Transformation of the Defence Sector
High Level Government Representative
High Level Government Representative
Allied Military Leadership and NATO Adaptation to Modern Conflicts
Tod Wolters
ex SACEUR
The title of the lecture will be added later.
Sergiy Boyev
Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine
European Cooperation in the Development of Defence Capabilities
André Denk
Executive Director, European Defence Agency - EDA
Panel Speakers
Moderator
Zoe White
NATO
Learning at the Speed of Conflict: NATO Adaptation in Modern Warfare
Zoe White
Head of Policy, Plans & Partnerships NATO
From frontline requirements to industrial capability / From Battlefield Innovation to NATO Capability: What Ukraine Has Taught Us About the Future of Warfare
Maurisa Coleman
Trypillian
Supporting Innovative Defence Start-ups through the BraveTech EU Initiative
Michal Piwowar
initiative leader BraveTech EU, DEFIS

PANEL: Wednesday, 11 November 2026 / 9:45 – 10:45

PANEL: UASs and Training – Practical Experience from Ukraine

The panel examines experience with the use of unmanned systems (UAS) on the battlefield in Ukraine and the challenges of training operators for their effective use. Speakers will present military, industrial and academic experience in the development, training and practical deployment of drones.

9:45
START
Moderator
Joao Caetano
European Defence Agency - EDA
EDA programmes in the field of unmanned systems
Joao Caetano
Project Officer UAS Programmes, European Defence Agency - EDA
Practical experience in operating drones on the battlefield
Representatives of the Ukrainian Armed Forces
Training for the use of drones and transfer of practices to the Slovenian Armed Forces
Prof. dr. Igor Petrovič
University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
T-BPL-VR Project: Experiences and Presentation at the HEDI Event in Portugal
Dr. Boštjan Bremec
technical director, C-Astral
10:45
END

PANEL: Wednesday, 11 November 2026 / 11:00 – 12:00

PANEL: Future Soldier – Detection, Sensing and Digital Twins

The panel focuses on detection technologies, monitoring of physiological condition and digital twins of soldiers, which will improve their protection and effectiveness in the future.

11:00
START
Wearable AI-powered sensory system and protection for soldiers
Boštjan Marolt
CEO, FIRECAT
Development of Protective Suits for Future Soldiers (Camouflage, Heat Dissipation)
prof. dr. Igor B. Mekjavič
Institut Jožef Stefan
Human Physiology, Medical Measurements and Digital Twins
prof. dr. Borut Kirn
University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Physiology
Monitoring and Diagnostics of Soldiers’ Condition
Andrej Pangršič
Analitica
Detection, Sensing and Digital Twins from the Perspective of NATO and EDA
NATO representatives and the European Defence Agency - EDA
12:00
END

PANEL: Wednesday, 11 November 2026 / 14:00 – 15:30

PANEL: Energy Resilience as a Key Defence Capability

The panel examines energy resilience as a key component of defence capabilities, from reliable energy supply for military systems to cooperation between industry and government institutions.

14:00
START

Head of the Energy Efficiency and Green Transition Division at the Ministry of Defence

He joined the Slovenian Armed Forces in 1992. His career postings include heading the Logistics Division at the Slovenian Armed Forces Support Command, the Equipping Division and the Logistics Division at the General Staff, and the Research, Development and Equipping Division of the Logistics Directorate. His international military experience includes participation in various NATO and EU working groups and service in the KFOR operation in Kosovo and the ISAF operation in Afghanistan. He leads and directs several international and national projects in the field of energy efficiency in the defence sector.

National and Alliance Defence Perspective
dr. Erik KOPAČ
State Secretary, Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Slovenia
European Defence and Capability Development Perspective
Michał WIERCIŃSKI
Deputy Director RTI & Head of Unit, EU-funded Defence Research, European Defence Agency – EDA
Giuseppe DELLO STRITTO
Head of Unit Land and Logistics, Capability, Armament & Planning Directorate, European Defence Agency – EDA
European Security and Defence Policy Perspective
TBD
TBD
Energy and Critical Infrastructure Perspective
TBD
TBD
Industrial and Technological Perspective on the Development, Integration and Deployment of Energy Resilience Solutions
Juan José FORTEZA ESTEBAN
Head of Research and Development, THALES España Sistemas

With more than 25 years of experience, he fosters innovation by connecting industry, research institutions and the state.

By leading and coordinating numerous national and international defence projects related to the green transition and energy resilience, such as EDF and EDA CatB projects, and through an active role in EDA initiatives such as CF SEDSS, IF CEED and the CapTech for Energy and Environment, where he serves as industry rapporteur, he promotes international cooperation to strengthen the European defence ecosystem.

15:30
END

PANEL: Thursday, 12 November 2026 / 10:00 – 11:30

PANEL: Space and Defence - Dual-Use Applications and Federated Capability Development under the ESA Framework: Multiplying Capabilities and Enhancing Resilience

The key theme will be the role of space capabilities in strengthening defense and security resilience, as well as the opportunities offered by the dual use (civil and defense) of space technologies. The focus will be on the federated development of capabilities within ESA, which enables countries to jointly invest in space infrastructure, thereby multiplying national capabilities.

10:00
START
Moderator
Colonel Gregor Virant
Slovenian Armed Forces
Alpstar Project: Earth Observation for European Resilience
Marline Claessens
project manager Alpstar, ESA
Slovenian Industrial Solutions for Earth Observation from Space
Tanja Permozer
Slovenian Space Office
Experience of the Slovenian industry in the development of dual-use space technologies (satellite systems, ...).
Tomaž Rotovnik
CEO, SkyLabs d.o.o.
Integration of space capabilities into defence planning and national resilience.
Colonel Urška Brodnik
Directorate for Defence Affairs, Ministry of Defence
11:30
END

*The organiser reserves the right to change the programme. The entire conference programme will be conducted in English without interpretation.

10:00 - 10:05
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