VILNIUS – The Baltic states will convene a defense and aerospace industry exposition in Vilnius in May, featuring live demonstrations at the Pabrade military training area, the Lithuanian Defense and Security Industry Association announced today.
Dubbed DAIMEX Baltic 2026, the event will center on regional security concerns, bolstering defense capabilities, NATO procurement planning, and the role of industry investment, according to a press release. Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas of Lithuania will be a featured speaker, alongside Latvian Defense Minister Andris Spruds and Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur.
Organizers anticipate participation from NATO and European Union officials, senior military leaders, and representatives from the defense and aerospace sectors. The exposition will showcase defense technologies in realistic operational settings at the General Silvestras Zukauskas training area in Pabrade, a site that saw extensive recovery efforts following an incident in March 2025 involving U.S. Soldiers, according to reporting by the Associated Press.
The focus will be on demonstrating practical capabilities, attracting manufacturing and advanced technologies to Lithuania, and strengthening industrial cooperation, with a particular emphasis on the Green Corridor initiative aimed at accelerating the establishment of manufacturing and research facilities. Demonstrations will include programs highlighting mobility, reconnaissance, unmanned aerial systems (UAS), counter-UAS technologies, force protection, command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems, counter-drone and drone-neutralization systems, sensors, and communications equipment.
The event is a collaborative effort organized by the defense and security industry associations of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. The Pabrade training area has been the site of international military exercises, including “Grand Quadriga 2024,” as reported by the Associated Press. The area gained increased attention in March 2025 following the disappearance of four U.S. Soldiers during training exercises, and subsequent recovery operations after their armored vehicle was found submerged, as detailed in reports from the Associated Press and Military Times.
The Baltic Sentinel reported in April 2025 that the incident involving the U.S. Soldiers, who were later confirmed to have died, was a rare occurrence in the region, though similar tragedies have occurred during NATO exercises in Norway and Sweden in previous years. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte initially suggested the soldiers had died, a statement later clarified by NATO, according to the Associated Press.
The DAIMEX Baltic 2026 event is scheduled to proceed as planned, with organizers continuing preparations for the May exposition and live demonstrations.
