Asturias hosted the ENDR 2026 (European Network of Defence-related Regions) conference, a major European forum focusing on advanced manufacturing and systems integration in the defence sector, which has made Gijón a hub for the sector’s industrial and technological ecosystem across the continent.
On 3 and 4 June, the Laboral Centre for Art and Industrial Creation hosted this event, co-organised by Asturias Hub Defensa and the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Defence and Space Industry (DG DEFIS). The event brought together institutional representatives, leading companies and organisations from various European countries, consolidating Asturias’ role as a strategic hub within the defence industry.
Among those in attendance were major international companies such as Rheinmetall, Indra and GDELS, alongside officials from the Spanish Ministry of Defence, representatives of the European Commission and key players in the European defence ecosystem. This broad participation helped to create a forum for effective dialogue between institutional demand and industrial capabilities, against a backdrop of growing momentum in European defence policy.
Over the course of the two-day event, the programme addressed the key industrial and technological challenges facing Europe, focusing on areas such as advanced manufacturing and automation, the integration of complex systems, and supply chain resilience. It also examined strategic issues such as European technological sovereignty, the development of unmanned systems and new materials, as well as the need to attract and develop specialist talent.
At the same time, the importance of adopting disruptive technologies—including artificial intelligence, robotics and additive manufacturing—and of accelerating innovation and production cycles to address current challenges was highlighted. In this regard, ENDR 2026 established itself as a key platform for fostering collaboration between regions, institutions and businesses, aligning industrial capabilities with European strategic priorities.
The conference took place at a particularly significant time for the sector, marked by the progress of initiatives such as the European Defence Fund, and served to strengthen ties between the stakeholders involved, bolstering Asturias’ position as a leading region in the European defence industry.
