Future Forces Forum 2024: Security, defence and international cooperation in the spotlight
The 16th edition of the Future Forces Exhibition & Forum, which focuses on security and defense, opened yesterday. Until Friday, both professionals and the general public will have the opportunity to explore various military equipment, systems, armaments, and accessories across several halls of the PVA EXPO complex in Prague. The event also includes a series of professional conferences addressing current military and security topics.
On the first day, the event was attended by several prominent figures, including the President of the Republic, Petr Pavel, who, during the opening, emphasized that the world currently faces numerous security challenges, referencing the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. President Pavel told our editors that the Future Forces Forum is an opportunity for both professionals and the general public to learn about developments in military technologies that can enhance their security.
“It’s an opportunity for military professionals to recognize the strength in collaboration. Here, we see numerous opportunities not only for our defense industry but for the entire country to establish valuable contracts. When we negotiate and cooperate with one another, the potential for conflict is significantly reduced,” added Petr Pavel.
The Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Army, Gen. Karel Řehka, also spoke at the event, highlighting that as the world changes rapidly and technological advancements accelerate, the army faces new and unprecedented challenges. He stressed the importance of cooperation on both national and international levels.
Minister of Defence Jana Černochová was also in attendance, where she reviewed products from several Czech companies, such as Czechoslovak Group and PBS Velká Bíteš, as well as foreign exhibitors, including those from Ukraine. The Minister underscored the importance of Czech-Ukrainian cooperation, mentioning the possibility of relocating some production from Ukraine to the Czech Republic. She emphasized that the Czech Republic should aim to produce as many military products and technologies domestically, through both state-owned and private enterprises.
In addition to the President and Minister of Defence, we also interviewed Lubor Koudelka, Chief Director of the Armaments and Acquisitions Section at the Ministry of Defence, Lubomír Metnar, Chairman of the Defence Committee, Jiří Šedivý, former Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces, and František Mičánek, Executive Director of the Centre for Security Studies at CEVRO. Their most insightful comments can be found in the video at the beginning of this article.
A total of more than 320 exhibitors from 35 countries are participating at the Prague Exhibition Centre from October 16 to 18. Exhibitors from countries such as Denmark, France, India, Hungary, Slovakia, and Ukraine are present. The Ministry of Defence and the Army of the Czech Republic are also part of the Czech representation at the Future Forces Forum.
Exhibits include the DPET passive tracking system, STARKOM mobile communication jammer, TITUS MKPP armored vehicle (fire support coordination point), MADR radar system, and much more. In total, the Czech Army is represented across more than 20 exhibition areas.
We will bring you more interesting updates and interviews from Day 2 of the Future Forces Exhibition & Forum soon.
