Record-breaking DSEI opens in London

LONDON, 12 Sept. 2013. The staff of PennWell’s Aerospace & Defense Media Group, which includes Military & Aerospace Electronics, Avionics Intelligence, and the Avionics International conference & expo, is on hand at Defence & Security Equipment International (DSEI), the biennial land, sea, and air defense and security exhibition, in London this week.

DSEI 2013 is being billed by the show organizers as the most successful in the event’s history.

According to officials, DSEI 2013 opens having already broken a series of records: the number of exhibitors reached the 1,500 mark, including a record 40 international pavilions and six themed, and the largest ever number of visiting warships moored in the dock adjoining the exhibition halls. The show’s largest ever Land Zone features Daimler, General Dynamics, Iveco, Jankel Armouring, JCB, Land Rover, Nexter, Patria, Rheinmetall, Streit Group, and Supacat.

The organizers, Clarion Events, expect roughly 30,000 visitors from around the world—among them senior military and political figures.

The air power dimension of DSEI features Wildcat and Merlin Mk II helicopters on display, together with a Spitfire and Eurofighter Typhoon, while prime contractors presenting their capabilities include BAE Systems, EADS, GE Aviation, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Rolls-Royce.

"While maintaining its focus on the traditional land, sea, and air disciplines, DSEI is constantly evolving, for example showcasing cyber warfare and the latest advances in medical technology,” says DSEI Event Director Duncan Reid. “Companies from the world's established and emerging markets have filled the halls, setting the scene for the best ever DSEI."