Canada at DSEI 2025
TRADE SHOW & CONFERENCE REPORT
BY TIM MAHON
CDR recently asked European Bureau Chief, Tim Mahon, to attend DSEI 2025 which took place from September 9-12, 2025 in London, UK. CDR got the latest on programs that concern the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and the wider Canadian defence & aerospace industry. The first half of this report features an interview with Steven Hillier, Vice President of Business Development at the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI), with the second half focusing on Canadian companies attending the show. Here is our first-hand report.
When companies invest in major international defence shows, the goal is clear: to showcase their best products, capabilities, and services — and to make sure the right people notice. Whether the aim is to win customers, attract partners, or strengthen supply chains, visibility is everything. For most, it’s a strategic investment in future success.
That’s why CDR was keen to see how Canada showed up at DSEI 2025 in London’s Docklands — even as a local transport strike threw schedules into chaos and tested the patience of exhibitors and attendees alike.
No assessment of Canada’s performance at DSEI would be complete without input from the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI), the driving force behind the Canadian Pavilion at major shows worldwide. Over the past decade, DSEI has evolved into the world’s largest and most influential tri-service defence exhibition, and this year’s edition proved no exception.
A few passes through the Canadian Pavilion told the story immediately — activity and engagement were at an all-time high. CADSI staff and member companies were busy from morning to night, drawing steady interest from international delegations. In fact, the pace was so relentless that CDR’s European Bureau Chief, Tim Mahon, was unable to catch CADSI President and CEO, Christyn Cianfarani, for an interview. Fortunately, Steven Hillier, CADSI’s Vice President of Business Development, stepped in to share his perspective — offering thoughtful insights into how Canada’s industry continues to punch above its weight on the world stage.
CADSI
CDR: How did DSEI 2025 compare with previous iterations?
Steven Hillier: DSEI 2025 stood out in both scale and importance. The show featured over 80,000 attendees and more than 1,800 exhibitors, which reflected the heightened focus on defence and security globally.
While the show was still underway, NATO forces intercepted drones breaching Polish airspace, serving as a reminder of how the shadow of Russia’s war in Ukraine underscored the importance of the alliance. Europe is not preparing for a potential threat; it is actively navigating one.
The conversations on the floor focused on readiness: communications, drone warfare, cyber resilience, ammunition supplies and naval, land, and aerial capabilities all dominated the agenda. The overarching theme was partnership: how allies can build interoperability, resilience and industrial collaboration in the face of both conventional and hybrid threats. There was a sense of shared purpose among delegations, militaries and industry.
Canada saw record-breaking participation. CADSI hosted 32 exhibiting companies in the Canada Pavilion, up from 21 in 2023 and we doubled the number of firms participating in our Walker Program. In total, 220 Canadian companies engaged, which speaks volumes about the industry’s appetite for international engagement. This is part of a broader repositioning of defence as a pillar of Canada’s economic strategy.
Our new Canada Pavilion was not only a hub for B2B/B2G meetings but also a showcase of what Canadian industry can offer in terms of innovation, talent and readiness. With participation from Canadian primes, SMEs and key government officials, including federal ADMs, provincial ministers and senior military leadership, Canada made a strong impression.
DSEI underscored the importance of Canada maintaining a visible and persistent presence in Europe. Regional partnerships, long-term engagement and boots on the ground will be essential for Canadian SMEs and OEMs alike to stay competitive in this evolving market.
CDR: What kind of Canadian companies were exhibiting at this year’s show?
Steven Hillier: For the first time in 2025, DSEI launched a hall dedicated to Emerging Technologies, in order to highlight increasing integration of AI, data analytics, cloud, quantum, cyber and autonomous systems into modern defence ecosystems.
Companies such as Anduril, Palantir and Shield AI collaborated with global tech giants like AWS, Dell and IBM. Technologies such as anti-jamming systems, edge computing, cloud-native infrastructure and AI-enabled command and control platforms were among the most in-demand capabilities from European buyers looking to stay ahead of peer and near-peer threats. We continue to see these companies acting not just as suppliers, but core enablers of operational advantage.
For Canada, roughly 40% of the Canadian delegation at DSEI represented I.S. and digital-first companies. We showcased firms such as Calian, CCX Technologies, Kognitiv Spark and others who are actively bridging the traditional gap between defence and digital. For Canadian SMEs, integrating into the allied digital supply chain can be challenging, but it also opens doors for non-traditional defence innovators to make their mark in an industry that is modernizing rapidly”.
CDR: What were the key messages being promulgated by CADSI and how do you think they were received?
Steven Hillier: CADSI was pushing the theme “Global Challenges, Canadian Solutions.” We believe Canadian companies are delivering real, tangible capabilities in a world that increasingly needs trusted, resilient partners. The energy in the Canadian Pavilion showed this wasn’t just another trade show for Canada. It was a signal to our allies and competitors alike that Canada is serious about defence and security, and that our industry is aligned, capable, and ready to deliver.
We also used the design of the pavilion itself to showcase a globally competitive and innovative industry. We curate a clean, common-branded environment in the Canada Pavilion and build programs that drive high-value traffic to exhibitors and give surrounding companies the opportunity to connect. We had representation from the Government across all levels, Provincial Ministers, ADMs, Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee, and Secretary of State Stephen Fuhr on the ground, as well as over 13 Canadian Trade Commissioners from the regions.
CDR: Where does DSEI stand in your planning to support Canadian defence industry achievements?
Steven Hillier: DSEI continues to be one of the most strategically important events on CADSI’s international calendar. It offers unparalleled access to global decision-makers, primes and end users, particularly in the European market, which is becoming increasingly vital for Canadian companies given the geopolitical shifts and heightened defence spending across NATO.
From our perspective, DSEI 2025 marked a significant inflection point. It was among the strongest Canadian presence we’ve had at an international show in terms of exhibitor footprint, delegate participation, and government engagement. This momentum sends a clear signal that Canada is to be taken seriously in the global defence space, and that defence is being repositioned as a pillar of economic growth and national interest. Looking ahead, we expect our presence at DSEI to grow in the depth and quality of engagement, particularly on the government side. Defence is increasingly the language of diplomacy and DSEI provides fertile ground for meaningful international partnerships and commercial outcomes.
Our goal is to ensure Canada’s participation isn’t just symbolic, it must generate tangible results for industry. That means aligning early with government partners, leveraging trade commissioner support, curating value-added programming and creating spaces where B2B and B2G conversations can flourish. DSEI will continue to play a central role in our international strategy to drive growth for Canadian defence and security companies abroad.
CANSEC remains our top priority in international engagement because we can bring the world to Canada. DSEI builds awareness and trust to convert international interest into domestic opportunity.
CDR: Any specific findings, feelings and results that you want to share with CDR readers?
Steven Hillier: DSEI UK serves not only as a global showcase for Canadian capabilities, but also as a strategic listening opportunity for CADSI. We gain valuable insight into what’s working, what’s not, and where to continue to strengthen our domestic and international programming. This year, we left with clear takeaways, such as how to better prime B2B engagement in advance of the show.
The elephant in the room during the show, to a degree, was the extent to which actions and rhetoric of the 47th President of the United States have moved the goalposts or, as some would have it, changed the nature of the game completely. Given that over-reaction, impassioned oratory and straightforward tunnel vision characterize much of the Washington administration’s approach to international relations and global economic policy, it was interesting to gauge the views of Canadians in regard to this challenging situation, given that the current situation may tun out to be temporary and that saner, longer-term approaches may well win out at the end of the day. The relationship with the US remains strong. Exports to the US account for 32% of all sales (over $4.5 billion), second only to the Canadian government at 51%; 40% of Canadian industry by annual sales are subsidiaries of US-headquartered firms. Canadian firms remain interested in new co-development projects, as supply chains are not already set. Our collective security depends on working together to address common threats and a strong, integrated industrial base remains part of achieving that. Developing a structured approach to collaborative projects would help maximize the participation of Canadian firms.
ACADA
The picture is even clearer when approached from the perspective of a regional association rather than a national one. Victoria Belbin is CEO of the Atlantic Canada Aerospace & Defence Association (ACADA) and spoke to CDR on the association’s very well populated stand. Speaking first about the issue of developing relations with the US customer, partner and supply chain, she suggested “There is something of a pivot right now and it’s essential to have a clear understanding of the dynamics – which we think we do. Several of our members exhibiting here have strong and sustainable relationships with the US – Bluedrop Training & Simulation being a perfect example. No matter what the rhetoric is, there is a need to focus on the pragmatic and to understand – clearly – that it is simply not practical to ‘fly solo.’ Mature, sensible decisions that make sense and result in win-win outcomes will achieve all our long-term goals”. And that is why, she states happily, there are 35 of her member companies at DSEI 2025, an exponential increase on the number that exhibited two years ago.
As for the experience of those companies – some of them give their opinions below, but Belbin strongly believes in giving member companies a sound base from which to seek and arrange valuable, germane meetings. She specifically cites the extended visit from Admiral Topshee’s delegation (more on this below) and endorses the CADSI comments regarding the extent and level of the official delegations in 2025. It is interesting to note that all the ACADA member companies with whom we interacted during the show highlighted the professional and enabling support they receive from the association – clear evidence that Team Belbin is doing something right!
EXHIBITING COMPANIES
StrobelTEK of St John’s, Newfoundland & Labrador, was exhibiting at the ACADA stand at ExCeL London, where it enjoyed a number of attentive audiences during the show, including one from VAdm Angus Topshee, Commander of the RCN, and his delegation. The company has developed an innovative, agile and cost-effective UAS – the Sprinter – together with associated docking stations. At 20cm in diameter and 1.5kg all-up weight, the ducted-fan aircraft is small enough to be relatively unobtrusive in the battlespace while providing a platform for enhanced situational awareness. The aircraft is launched entirely autonomously from a container and docking station that doubles as an ingenious autonomous recovery device, extruding an expanding basket into which the UAS directs itself. The 20kg dock is light enough to be carried on almost any tactical or utility vehicle, endearing itself, perhaps, to devotees of the improvised platform implementation so frequently seen in Ukraine over the last three years. Although currently the UAS has a range of approximately 8km and hover loiter time in the region of 15mins, Dr Armin Strobel, CEO and Chief Technology Officer, told CDR that “longer flight times and higher speeds are in the works”. The EO/IR payload currently offers enhanced situational awareness for dismounted troops and manoeuvre forces alike, while the ability of Sprinter to operate in swarms lends itself to a wide swathe of potential applications in both terrestrial and maritime environments. To accommodate swarm operations, StrobelTEK has developed a ‘swarm dock’ which, at 70kg, is still light enough for mounting on a broad range of platforms.
TACO ANTENNA
TACO Antenna was established over 90 years ago in New York State as Technical Appliance Corporation and acquired by WADE Antenna, Inc., in the early 2000s, then moving to its current location in Brantford, Ontario. According to Jon Barton, who spoke to CDR at the show, TACO Antenna specializes in ground-to-air communications and therefore primarily addresses the air traffic control (ATC) market, including military applications. However, it has a distinct focus on the market for UHF-band military satellite and tactical satellite communications (milsatcom and tacsatcom respectively.) The company has long occupied a niche in this market, offering antennae handling 2.4 and 5.8GHz bands and the L1 and L2 GPS/GNSS bands. From this concentration on providing rugged, mission-critical antenna solutions for demanding applications has come the ability to service a wide range of use cases for defence, aerospace, security and government operators. A market segment that the company pays significant attention to is the market for shipboard antennae, in which it has established an enviable reputation. Another, more recent specialization is in the counter-UAS space, in which the demand for single and multi-band antennae is growing at an astonishing pace, fueled largely by the evolution of drone warfare in Ukraine.
DATIFEX
Also exhibiting at the ACADA stand was Datifex, the Halifax-based provider of its DATIVerse 3D industrial metaverse software platform used to build “engagement systems managing complex assets, operations and training,” according to its corporate literature. Chris Erickson, the company’s CEO, told CDR that its second visit to DSEI produced “far more pre-arranged meetings and a very high level of delegations to the stand,” proving that the company had learned much from its initial participation in 2023. “The very senior level of Canadian government and military officials we met with was notable: the Honourable Stephen Fuhr (Secretary of State for Defence Procurement), Vice Admiral Topshee (Commander, RCN), the Honourable Colton LeBlanc (Minister of Growth and Development for Nova Scotia) and Michael Mills (Assistant Deputy Minister Procurement Branch at Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC)) among them”. This was a common theme among Canadian exhibitors this year – they met far more senior officials than they do at major shows in Canada – domestic as well as international. Erickson also gave kudos to ACADA for their organization and support, which he described as “fantastic”.
Also notable from this year’s show for Erickson was the wealth of potential partners he met with, as well as the opportunity to network with existing collaborators. One immediate result is a return trip to the UK – in less than a couple of weeks – to work with a large prime defence contractor in developing better synergies. “I am identifying a definite move towards a more rapid approach to contracting, from government, the military and the primes,” he said – an encouraging nod in the direction of continued procurement transformation. As for the US market in light of recent political developments, Erickson has already cancelled a couple of planned trips and doesn’t see prosecution of the existing opportunities as being worthwhile at this time. “It’s not a good use of our time at the moment. I would rather be with the MoD in the UK, France, Germany….,” he concluded.
SOLACE
At Solace, an experienced provider of wireless energy solutions, Michael Talor, Business Development Manager for Aerospace & Defence, told CDR that the show has become an integral part of its international marketing campaign. “The Canadian Pavilion is just an amazing base for working the show: we have had a lot of conversations of the type you simply can’t have by email, not just with delegations and prospective customers but we have had at least five very productive discussions with fellow members of the association,” he stated.
SCEPTER
An intriguing display of high end packaging and transport containers drew us to the stand of Scepter, Inc. Featuring large calibre ammunition transport packaging among other assets, it came as no surprise when Tania Reynolds, the company’s Director of Global Business Development, Military, told CDR “we already had many European customers, but the interest in our solutions and the demand for them has increased very significantly as the conflict in Ukraine continues to unfold.”
Also intriguing (and also in the packaging and transport protection business) was Nanuk. José Chagnon, President & CEO, was refreshingly frank in discussing developments and challenges. “The uncertain relationship with the US has certainly had an effect: 60% of our business is in the US. We decided on a three-pronged approach: to preserve the relationships with the existing customer base and absorb the losses in the short term; to accelerate our investment in expanding our footprint in Europe; and pushing the ‘Buy Canada’ ethos as strongly as we can.”
GSCI ADVANCED PHOTONICS
Last contact during the show – but definitively not the least – was GSCI Advanced Photonics, where Romeu Machado, Technical Sales and Business Development at the Woodbridge, Ontario-based manufacturer, told us what makes the company stand out in what has become almost (but not quite) a commodity market for advanced night vision and electro-optics devices. “We manufacture in Canada and have fused technology with service and a sound understanding of the customer requirement. The fact that our products are entirely ITAR-free and come with a seven-year warranty is a discriminating factor among procurement professionals.”
He was also quite optimistic about the evolving relationship with Canada’s closest neighbour, suggesting that events have forced more serious examination of alternatives and non-traditional market opportunities. “It would not be an exaggeration to say that President Trump has opened doors for us,” he concluded.
CANADA IS SERIOUS ABOUT DEFENCE
Canada stood proud at DSEI – a bigger presence, better engagement, greater participation and a palpable desire to know more and do more. Perhaps the ideal way to sum that up lies in the words of CADSI’s Steven Hillier post-show. “Most importantly, we felt a definitive shift. There’s a growing sense that Canada is serious about defence, and ready to lead. Our allies are beginning to take notice”.
Tim Mahon is CDR’s European Bureau Chief
