The 2026 Vietnam Defense Expo to feature joint exercises and field demonstrations
The General Department of Defense Industry announced that the 2026 Expo will be a large-scale event featuring a wide variety of weapons, combined with military exercises and field demonstrations by military units.
On the morning of February 26, the Ministry of National Defense held a preparatory conference for the 3rd Vietnam Defense Expo in 2026. Major General Phan Thi Hoai Van, Deputy Director of the General Department of Defense Industry, stated that the theme for the 3rd Expo is "Peace, friendship, cooperation for mutual development."
The General Department envisions this as a large-scale exhibition showcasing various weapons and technical equipment, integrating multiple activities such as product displays, seminars and panel discussions, military exercises, field demonstrations, and business networking.
Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Truong Thang, Deputy Minister of National Defense, commended the responsible spirit of the General Department and relevant units during the preparation process. He demanded the General Department to coordinate closely, continue to review the entire proposal to ensure it is appropriate, rigorous, practical, and establish a specific, detailed timeline and plan for each phase.
According to him, the exhibition is a large-scale defense diplomatic event that affirms the prestige, organizational capacity, and integration stature of the Vietnam People's Army. "The success of the expo contributes to spreading the message of a peace-loving Vietnam that is ready to cooperate and be clear in its defense policies, while also demonstrating the development level of our national defense industry," he said.
Commando soldiers of the 113th Infantry Commando Brigade (Commando Arm) during a training session. Photo: Giang Huy
General Thang emphasized that this upcoming expo must meet higher requirements, operate on a more professional scale, and showcase deeper cooperation, commensurate with the country's increasingly elevated status in the international arena. Preparations must be carried out early and comprehensively across all aspects, from content, protocol, foreign affairs, and communication to logistics and technical support.
The Deputy Minister mandated that ensuring absolute safety for personnel, vehicles, equipment, and all activities throughout the expo must be the top priority.
The Vietnam Defense Expo was previously held in 2022 and 2024 with an expanding scale. These expos featured indoor product and model displays combined with real products outdoors, alongside demonstrations of weapons and technical equipment.
The exhibited weapons and technical equipment from defense industry enterprises covered three domains (Navy, Air Force, and Army), supplemented by the display of products currently equipped by the military.
At the Defense Expo in late 2024, nearly 12,000 officers and soldiers from various agencies and units, 20 aircraft, nearly 3,000 pieces of military equipment, and 118 military dogs participated in supporting the event. By noon on December 22, the expo had welcomed over 260,000 visitors. The opening ceremony alone was attended by over 1,000 delegates, 242 domestic and foreign enterprises, and 66 international delegations. Military representatives and businesses from multiple countries participated in thematic seminars spanning 4 days with 52 presentations.
The General Department of Defense Industry reported that through the previous expo, the Department secured 11 contracts valued at $278.3 million; the Military Industry and Telecoms Group (Viettel) secured 5 contracts worth $8 million. Additionally, 17 strategic cooperation agreements between Vietnam's defense industry and enterprises from countries with developed defense industries (such as the US, India, France, Belgium, etc.) were signed.
Source: vnexpress.net
Author: Son Ha