FEINDEF 2021, the international showcase for the Spanish Defence industry

FEINDEF 2021, the International Defence and Security Fair to be held in Madrid in an in-person format from 3 to 5 November, will be "the showcase for Spain's Defence industry", stressed the Secretary of State for Defence, Esperanza Casteleiro, on 9 April at the official presentation of its second edition.

In her speech to an audience of the sector's top executives, Esperanza Casteleiro stressed that FEINDEF 2021 is "an exit ramp" towards new opportunities "that we cannot afford to miss". At the same time, it is an instrument aimed at promoting "the recovery of industry, defence and security in Spain after the pandemic".

The Secretary of State emphasised that the show will "showcase the dual potential of Spanish R&D&I on an international scale". It will also allow "increased collaboration" between public and private companies, as well as the "internalisation" of companies, aspects that she considers "essential" for the strength of the present and future European Defence framework.

He described the event as "the most important in the field of defence and security in Spain". The exhibition is part of the strategic objective of consolidating the technological base of defence in its land, naval, air, space and cyber aspects. As a result, it is "a business opportunity and we have to take advantage of it", he summarised.

Casteleiro recalled that the defence industry is "among the transversal and driving elements of the Spanish economy": its annual turnover amounts to "around 6,000 million euros, 80% of which is due to exports". In terms of employment, "it generates 295,000 jobs, of which 22,500 are direct and 30,000 are indirect or induced".

The exhibition is organised by the FEINDEF Foundation, whose president is the former Minister of Defence Julián García Vargas. From his point of view, FEINDEF 2021 is a "promise fulfilled", which in its second edition will be held in two large pavilions of the Institución Ferial de Madrid (IFEMA). 

Under the umbrella of the "Safe Fair" concept, rigorous health protection protocols have been established in both venues to safeguard attendees from possible infection by COVID-19. The organisation's aspiration is that this year's call will be attended by more than 300 companies, 20 pavilions from friendly countries will be set up and more than 31,000 square metres of exhibition space will be covered, "twice as much as in 2019", the former minister anticipated.

The second edition, which will open its doors in seven months' time, will be the meeting point aimed at highlighting the capabilities of the "essential" industrial fabric of the national economy. It generates "quality employment", is a "business tractor that drives progress" and must be "supported in its internalisation", with a focus on the European Defence Industrial Development Plan.

The former Minister of Defence between March 1991 and June 1995 in one of President Felipe González's government teams stressed that those attending the different forums at the show will have the opportunity to "learn about and debate the business opportunities that exist in Europe and on a global scale".

Julián García Vargas pointed out that by attending FEINDEF 2021, Spanish companies want to demonstrate that they are working "with the aim of anticipating the future", with the expectation of "generating and strengthening international alliances" and "forming consortiums to compete in the world with greater possibilities of success".

The main sponsor of FEINDEF 2021 is the public shipyard Navantia. Its recently appointed president, Ricardo Domínguez, pointed out in his speech that the exhibition and its parallel activities are a confirmation of "the degree of maturity" of the Spanish defence industry.

His words focused on the desire to "project national capabilities and reinforce its positioning in the global market". As a business group of strategic importance, the commitment is focused on "innovation, to develop increasingly sophisticated systems". Overall, "we invest more than 1,200 million euros a year in R&D&I, ahead of sectors such as the automotive, chemical and pharmaceutical industries.

The presentation of FEINDEF 2021 was attended by the Secretary of State for Security, Rafael Pérez Ruiz; the Secretary of State and Director of the National Intelligence Centre, Paz Esteban; the Chiefs of Staff of the Army, Air Force and Navy, Generals Javier Varela, Javier Salto and Admiral Antonio Martell, respectively, as well as the Director General of the Civil Guard, María Gámez, and of the National Police, Francisco Pardo.

The FEINDEF Foundation is made up of the Ministry of Defence, headed by Margarita Robles; the Association of Public Administration Contractors (AESMIDE), chaired by Gerardo Sánchez Revenga; and the Spanish Association of Defence, Security, Aeronautics and Space Technology Companies (TEDAE), headed by Ricardo Martí Fluxá.  

In addition to Navantia, FEINDEF 2021 is sponsored by Indra, ITP Aero, John Cockerill, Tecnobit-Grupo Oesia, Escribano Mechanical & Engineering, General Dynamics European Land Systems-Santa Bárbara Sistemas, Leonardo, SASCorp, IVECO and Heroux-Devtec.