17th International Defence Equipment and Services Exhibition, HEMUS 2026, to kick off in Plovdiv
Baku, June 3, AZERTAC
President Iliana Iotova and Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov will open the 17th International Defence Equipment and Services Exhibition, HEMUS 2026, in Plovdiv, the President's Press Secretariat and the Ministry's press service said. The exhibition will run until June 6, the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) reported.
The head of State will welcome a guard of honour, followed by the official opening ceremony of the exhibition at the International Fair Plovdiv.
Also expected to attend the opening are Deputy Defence Minister Katerina Gramatikova-Ivanova, Deputy Chief of Defence Lieutenant General Krasimir Kanev, senior officers of the Bulgarian Armed Forces, and representatives of both central and local government. During the official ceremony, a pair of F-16 Block 70 fighter jets will conduct a flyover above the exhibition area.
HEMUS 2026 will be held under the auspices of the Defence Ministry, the Ministry of Economy, Investment and Industry, and the Ministry of Innovation and Digital Transformation. The event is primarily organized by the HEMUS-95 Foundation.
On the exhibition’s opening day, participants and visitors will have the opportunity to watch a capabilities demonstration by the Joint Special Operations Command and the Bulgarian Air Force.
As part of the exhibition programme, a forum entitled "Defence Capabilities, Industrial Capacity, and the Role of Bulgaria and the Bulgarian Industry within the European and Allied Defence Ecosystem" will be held in Bulgaria Hall at the Congress Centre on June 4.
Later in the day, the 13th International Scientific Conference on Research, Technology and Innovation for Defence and Security will kick off in Bulgaria Hall. The conference is an integral part of HEMUS 2026 and is organized by the Prof. Tsvetan Lazarov Defence Institute.
On June 5, live firings will take place at the Zmeyovo Central Artillery Technical Test Range, showcasing new developments and products from Bulgarian and international companies.
On June 6, military personnel from the Joint Special Operations Command will conduct a capabilities demonstration in the area surrounding the International Fair Plovdiv. Following the demonstration, exhibitor certificates will be presented by the Deputy Minister of Defence.
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