Next year, European leaders in defense, security, and space will gather in Vilnius, with a focus on mobilizing the defense industry

Registration is now open for one of the most important events of Lithuania's Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU) in the fields of innovation and security - the "Baltic Miltech Summit 2027." On June 29 of next year, at the Lithuanian Exhibition and Congress Center "Litexpo", the international forum organized by the Ministry of Economy and Innovation, the Ministry of National Defense, and the Innovation Agency will bring together policymakers, military representatives, leaders of the defense and security industries, investors, and technology developers from across Europe and NATO countries.

On the same day, "Litexpo" will also host "Vilnius Space Days 2027," an international event dedicated to space technologies and organized by the Innovation Agency, which will bring together leaders from the European space sector, as well as the business and scientific communities, for discussions on the role of space technologies in strengthening Europe's competitiveness, resilience, strategic autonomy, and dual-use capabilities.

"Russia's war against Ukraine has changed our understanding of how security is created and ensured. Today, the competitive advantage goes to nations and their allies that are able to make decisions quickly, develop innovations, and rapidly adapt them to real-world conditions. Lithuania has every opportunity to take the lead and become one of the regional centers for defense innovation, and the 'Baltic Miltech Summit 2027' will serve as an important platform for bringing together European and NATO partners to develop joint solutions and investments," says Edvinas Grikšas, acting Minister of Economy and Innovation.

These two events, together with the international defense technology exhibition and the "Live Firing Show 2027" to be held on June 30, form a cohesive series of European defense innovation events - ranging from strategic discussions and presentations of the latest technologies to their demonstration and evaluation under real-world conditions at a Lithuanian Armed Forces training range.

The synergy between these events reflects a fundamental shift in Europe - space technology and defense innovation are now becoming an integral part of Europe's security architecture. This underscores Lithuania's aspiration to become one of Europe's leading platforms for defense innovation, technology testing, and international cooperation.

The theme of the "Baltic Miltech Summit 2027" - "Mobilization of the Defense Industry: A Response to the Threat of War" - reflects a fundamental shift in which the defense industry is becoming an active tool for deterrence and defense. Increasingly, victory, deterrence, and national resilience are determined not only by military forces but also by the ability to rapidly develop, manufacture, deploy, and continuously improve technological solutions.

The European defense and space industry is entering a phase of rapid growth

Recent years have seen an unprecedented increase in European defense spending. According to European Commission data, in 2024, EU member states' defense spending exceeded 326 billion euros and accounted for approximately 1.9 percent of gross domestic product. This investment is projected to continue growing in the coming years as countries seek to strengthen their defense capabilities, increase production in the defense and space industries, and reduce their dependence on external supply chains.

The goal is for the space sector to receive even greater attention in the new EU multiannual financial framework for 2028-2034, with investments in this sector potentially reaching between 6 and 8 billion euros per year, compared to approximately 2 billion euros per year currently.

In this context, Lithuania stands out as one of the most active countries in the region in strengthening defense and space innovation ecosystems. Over the past few years, the number of defense technology startups in the country has grown rapidly, international cooperation with EU and NATO partners has strengthened, and Lithuanian companies are becoming increasingly involved in European defense and space supply chains.

The Baltic region - a rapidly growing hub for defense innovation

Monika Paulė, director of the Innovation Agency organizing the event, emphasizes that Lithuania and the entire Baltic region are becoming an increasingly important hub in Europe's defense innovation ecosystem.

"Lithuania's presidency of the Council of the EU provides a unique opportunity to initiate discussions that are critically important to the security of all of Europe today. We want the 'Baltic Miltech Summit 2027' to become a meeting place for policymakers, space, defense, and security institutions, businesses, and innovators who can offer solutions for building a stronger, more resilient, and more innovative defense ecosystem for Europe and its allies. Today, technological superiority depends not only on the quality of innovations, but also on the ability to implement them at the pace demanded by geopolitical realities," says M. Paulė.

The forum's program will include discussions on the crisis preparedness of Europe's defense, security, and space industries; the adoption of advanced technologies; the use of artificial intelligence and autonomous systems; the role of investment in strengthening defense capabilities; and closer cooperation among nations, armed forces, academic institutions, and the business community.

The international exhibition will showcase the most advanced defense and space technologies

In addition to the conference program, participants at the "Baltic Miltech Summit 2027" and "Vilnius Space Days 2027" will also be able to visit a large international exhibition of defense, security, and space technologies and innovations. At the exhibition, companies from the defense and security industries, technology developers, startups, research organizations, and investors from Lithuania and abroad will present their most advanced solutions.

The "Live Firing Show" - one of the largest live military technology demonstration events in the Baltic region - will bring together representatives of the armed forces, defense industry companies, investors, and decision-makers from Europe, NATO, and partner countries on June 30 at the Lithuanian Armed Forces' General Silvestras Žukauskas Training Area.

Unlike traditional defense exhibitions, the "Live Firing Show" offers the opportunity to observe the performance of advanced military technologies and their integration into modern combat scenarios in a realistic operational environment. The event will feature demonstrations of autonomous systems, unmanned solutions, fire control systems, mobility platforms, anti-drone technologies, artificial intelligence solutions, and other advanced military equipment.

More information about the forum's program, speakers, exhibitors, and registration can be found on the official "Baltic Miltech Summit 2027" website here.