DSEi 2007: Bigger Than Ever With Even More International Networking Opportunities
22 February 2007
This year's DSEi (Defence Systems & Equipment International) exhibition is being hailed as the biggest yet. The show is expected to have expanded by 25% in comparison with 2005 and will include several new national pavilions.
Although DSEi 2007 has a strong support base from UK defence, IT and engineering companies, its international flavour is increasing this year with Brazil, India, Russia, Lithuania, Romania and Turkey organising pavilions for the first time. Existing pavilions such as the USA and Denmark have also grown.
Another new section of the show is a feature area dedicated to night vision and electronic warfare, complete with a dark room for hands-on equipment demonstrations. To support this initiative, two separate one-day forums on topical night vision and electronic warfare issues are being organised by specialist conference organiser Tangent Link. Companies exhibiting within this area will be eligible for one free delegate pass to these events, while visitors and other exhibitors will need to purchase tickets.
As the UK's defence procurement landscape changes this year, with the merging of the Defence Logistics Organisation and the Defence Procurement Agency to form a single body – Defence Equipment & Support – DSEi will once again run a series of practical workshops. These aim to help both SMEs, which are looking at how to access defence supply chains for the first time, and second tier contractors wanting to understand how to win more business in the defence arena. The workshops are free of charge to exhibitors, and will feature senior figures from the industry's trade associations and the UK's Ministry of Defence.
DSEi is unique among integrated defence shows because it enables countries to showcase their warships right alongside the exhibition venue at ExCeL, in the heart of London's transformed docklands. The waters next to ExCeL have room for up to ten ships, depending on their size, to be moored next to the exhibition halls, providing a unique opportunity for visitors to see onboard systems and technologies in action.
A range of countries has again been invited to send warships to participate in DSEi 2007. Names of ships will be announced during the summer within the DSEi show preview.
